Jericho: A Road not Taken
by 2merryann
Summary: A prequel of sorts, also taking into account that the folks of Jericho might have decided to make some preparations after Y2K, 9/11 & Katrina. Entire cast with many OC's. Begins 5 years before the show and tells of Jericho and Green family history.
1. Chapter 1

**Jericho: A Road Not Taken**

Author's Note: The television series has _Jericho_ affected me deeply. I am still obsessing four years after the second cancellation, and hoping for another network to pick it up (Netflix?). In the meantime, I have scoured the internet and enjoyed all of the fan fiction pieces I have been able to locate. I have particularly enjoyed _The Tucker Series_ by JT, _Different Circumstances _by Marzee Doats, and _On a Dark Horse_ by TarnishedArmour and the collection of stories by Tanaqui & Scribbler. Each author corrected plot holes noted in the TV series, as I hope to do here.

I must admit that I enjoyed Season 1 of Jericho far more than Season 2 (although I am certainly thankful for Season 2, for the Season 3 graphic novel, and look forward to the upcoming Season 4 and whatever happens at Netflix with great eagerness!). I found that I appreciated the characters and their stories, and Season 2 did not have the luxury of time for much of those. Even if Jericho were to continue, it would probably focus on the second civil war and not so much on the personalities. This story is how I would have imagined the backstories of the characters we know and many we never got to meet due to the early demise of the show.

The other thing Jericho did for me was to make me serious about being prepared for such an event. After Y2K, 9/11, and Katrina, it is within the realm of possibility that the folks of Jericho decided to make a few preparations rather than letting the shelters go to the rats. I've done a lot of research for this story that is also good to know in real life (writing the story just makes it more fun).

**Chapter I: In the Beginning **

**August 6, 2001**

E.J. Green (1) had lived through The Great Depression. He had a finger on the pulse of national politics and an eye on the economy more than most did. He did not like what he saw developing. He tried to discuss his concerns with Johnston (2), but the current mayor of Jericho was too busy with the day-to-day turmoil of the town to pay much attention. E.J.'s contemporaries were busy with their golf games and grandchildren and didn't want to be bothered with what they perceived to be conspiratorial nonsense. So E.J. kept his council for the time being. Slowly but surely, he did what he felt to be the right things to prepare his family for the coming calamity, in whatever form it might come.

E.J. enjoyed having Jake (3) live at the ranch with him when Jake returned to Jericho after finishing college at Embry Riddle. From the time Jake was a child, E.J. could count on the boy to help out as he was asked without asking too many uncomfortable questions. E.J. didn't want to burden Jake with too much information, but rather tried to instill within him a need to be prepared for any contingency. Realizing that skills were just as important as goods, E.J. taught Jake as many skills as he knew. (He would have been delighted to teach Eric (4) as well, but Eric never showed the aptitude or interest.) Thus, Jake started flying the crop duster at the tender age of 10 and helped to rebuild the engine of the 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner at the age of 12. Jake helped him care for the horses including breeding when it became appropriate. As E.J. was able to buy up adjacent pieces of property, Jake helped E.J. fence and cross-fence it so that the Green Ranch sprawled a bit more into the countryside as the years passed. Johnston and Gail (5), busy with the affairs of Jericho, were only peripherally aware of the details.

In the spring of 2001, E.J. had Jake till a sizable plot of land and help plant a variety of fruit and nut trees, rows of berry vines, and a small grape vineyard. He tried to plant things that weren't already available in Jericho. The orchard, as he called it, was a considerable project. Jake had questioned E.J. about it, particularly considering that the latter had been experiencing some health difficulties of late. E.J., still not wanting to go into details, had mumbled a story about always dreaming of living off the land. Jake did not entirely believe E.J.'s story, but he was preoccupied with something he and Jonah Prowse (6) were working on. Jake left soon after to hash things out with Jonah and ended up leaving Jericho without returning to the ranch.

E.J. missed Jake desperately - both from a companionship standpoint, and because Jake had become his partner-in-crime even if Jake had not fully realized it. It took E.J. a few months to regain his equilibrium and set about the next step of his preparedness plan: Beekeeping. Bees would be a necessary step for the pollination of his new fruit orchard, and the honey was a side benefit to which he also looked forward. One early August Monday afternoon, E.J. took himself to the Jericho library to start research on his future career as an apiculturist. With the help of the librarian, he located a few books to get himself started. Unfortunately, these books were considered "reference material", and he would not be allowed to take them home.

"I don't understand. Why do you have a "lending library" if you aren't going to lend out books?" He asked the librarian in a voice that was a pitch too loud for a library, and clearly showed his disapproval.

The disinterested librarian shrugged her shoulders and turned away.

At this point, a dark-haired girl approached him with a kind smile. "I may be able to help you," she suggested. "Why don't we go sit down and you can tell me what you are looking for."

They found a vacant table in the corner and sat down. E.J. introduced himself to Heather Lisinski (7), a teacher who had just moved to town to take a position at the Jericho Elementary School. The two talked, in hushed library voices, all afternoon. E.J. learned that Heather did not know a soul in Jericho. While she had grown up in New Bern, she had been out of state at college for five years and hadn't maintained any ties there, either. Following the death of her Father, she had been intent on getting her degree and her teaching credential, leaving little time for a social life. Her best friends were her books and her young students. Heather, for her part, learned that E.J. was lonely in a town filled with friends and family with whom he could not speak freely. He did not tell her all of the details of his concerns, but he mentioned that he was working on a project, and could use some help and research. These were all of the words that Heather needed to hear. Someone in need of help, especially a potential kindred spirit like E.J. Green, would certainly receive all of the help she had to offer.

The librarian began to flicker the lights, and then pointedly announced that the library was closing. E.J. and Heather hurriedly stood and exited the building, apiculture books left forgotten on the table as they spoke excitedly about their plans to meet at the Green Ranch the following day. Heather knew just how to provide an end-run around a lending library that would not lend books!

**~ Getting Acquainted - August 7, 2001 ~**

Heather arrived at the Green Ranch (A) promptly at 11am the following morning. She balanced a bowl of piping hot peach crisp in one hand and had a worn leather messenger bag slung from one shoulder across to the other hip as she approached the front porch. E.J. opened the front door and came bounding out toward her with more spring in his step than he'd had in quite a while.

"Heather, my dear, I can't tell you how delighted I am to have met up with you yesterday," he started out, taking the towel-wrapped bowl from her hand and leading her into the house. "I made chicken salad sandwiches and fruit salad for lunch, I hope that is alright?" he asked anxiously.

"That sounds delicious", she responded, reassuring him. "The Jericho Motor Inn, where I am staying until I find an apartment, only has a microwave. I had to improvise a bit with my mother's peach crisp recipe, but I think it will taste about the same", she ended with a chuckle, putting E.J. at ease.

They enjoyed their lunch at the kitchen table, chatting companionably about Heather's college years in upstate New York, and her extended family who had taken her under their wing following the death of her mother when Heather was 12 and her father the year she started college.

E.J. cleared the table following lunch and Heather brought out the contents of the messenger bag: her laptop computer. E.J. had recently celebrated his 76th birthday, and was the first to admit that he was woefully behind the times then it came to "modern gadgets".

"I think we will find everything you need to know about beekeeping right here", she said with a smile as E.J. gave her a sour look.

"I just don't know about this," E.J. said with a concerned look. "I was familiar with a typewriter before I retired from the Mayor's office, but this is a bird of a different feather."

Heather grinned. "I'll tell you what. To start with, I'll do the typing, and you can do the reading. How would that be?"

"Well, we can try . . . "E.J. said, suddenly interested in the screen in front of them.

The two spend the next several hours researching beekeeping. They saved articles on how to get started, where to order supplies, how to retrieve honey, and what might be done with the beeswax.

As they worked, E.J. went into greater detail his concerns about the ever-growing government and the potentials for disaster including economic collapse, being attacked by those unhappy with foreign policy, and even the inability of the government to fulfill its promises to take care of all the people who weren't prepared to care for themselves in the event of a natural disaster. None of this was news to Heather. Her extended family was always prepared for the inclement weather of New York with generators, fuel, food supplies to last them a week or more, bottled water, and emergency bags in every vehicle in case they became stranded in poor weather. The news in New York was full of headlines each winter where people froze to death in their cars or in their homes when the power went out overnight, or even starved to death if they remained snowed in for an extended period. During the summer, people suffered heat exhaustion or died due to lack of water if they had car trouble in a remote area. The Lisinski family would not be making the headlines in this manner.

Once they had agreed that being prepared was, indeed, a good thing, Heather started searching for websites accordingly. Having recently lived through the Y2K concerns, she had no difficulty finding sites. Blogs were plentiful offering lists of items necessary to have, skills necessary to learn. A surprising number of people were leaving the hectic pace of the big cities in favor of living off-grid, self-sufficient lifestyles, and they were willing to share their learning curve with those who were interested enough to read along. The popularity of the self-proclaimed homesteading movement surprised E.J. He had experienced just the opposite in Jericho, and that was another concern he now voiced to Heather.

"I have to tell you, my dear, you are the first new young person I've seen move to Jericho in nearly a decade. The kids grow up, go away to college, and we never see them again. The ones that don't make it to college have the bus schedules out of town memorized by the time they graduate from Jericho High, and off they go to the big cities. Several of the mayors of other small Kansas towns are my friends from way back, and they report the same problem. There just isn't enough in the way of jobs or activity to keep many of them here to raise another generation. The population of Jericho dwindles a bit more each year, since back in the 1950's." E.J. stopped talking long enough to take a drink of his lemonade and to refill Heather's glass. "Seems like we ought to be able to do something about that problem as well, with the help of your fancy computer," he added, smiling slyly and gesturing toward her laptop.

Heather smiled back at him, pleased they had overcome his phobia of modern technology at least a little. "Well," she said thoughtfully, "I think the homestead idea has us on the right track. You are already off to a great start with the orchard. You said you usually have a vegetable garden?"

"Yes." E.J. said somewhat sadly. "I usually have my grandson Jake help me with that in the spring, but he put the orchard in this year instead. I was going to have him put in a later garden, but he, uh, was called out of town on business and I just didn't have it in me to do it by myself." E.J. paused and looked down at his hands for a minute before he continued "I probably could use some more help around here, but I'm not sure who to turn to. Like I mentioned yesterday, my son is the Mayor of Jericho, and he keeps pretty busy with running the town. My daughter-in-law Gail helps with the horses, and I know she would do anything I asked, but she is always busy with the social aspects of being the First Lady of Jericho and I hate to ask anything more of her. We have help for the livestock, but they are already busy and aren't as interested in farming."

"Well," said Heather brightly, "I would be happy to help all I can. We could probably still put in a fall garden this year, but it might be better to use our time doing research and planning a spring garden. I will print out the articles we talked about and bring them with me the next time I come out, OK?" She glanced at her watch and was surprised at the hour. "Oh, dear, I really should head back to town and start my apartment search. I am having such a good time; I hadn't realized how late it had gotten!"

Heather quickly started to gather her things, but E.J. put his hand over hers to get her attention. "I'm not sure what you will think of this idea," he said slowly, as if thinking it through as he spoke, "but what if you rented a room here at the ranch? You could have your own bedroom and bathroom upstairs. I moved downstairs to the guest room a few years ago when my knees started bothering me. I would love the company, and I would make myself scarce if you wanted to have a gentleman caller. . ." he finished in a rush, looking at Heather expectantly.

Heather looked at him quizzically. "Are you sure about this?" she asked. "What will your family think? I met your daughter-in-law when I came to Jericho for my interview in the spring. She was very nice, but I wouldn't want to be on her bad side."

At that, E.J. let out a chuckle, and assured Heather that being on the bad side of Gail Green was, indeed, an unenviable position.

"Well," he continued, "it is my home, and my life. But you do have a point. How about if we finagle you an invitation to family dinner after church on Sunday. We can see what they think of our plan. In the meantime, I would be delighted if you would be my guest here at the Green Ranch. You can try it out for size. By Sunday, you might decide you don't want to live with a cantankerous old bachelor like me." E.J. moved toward the phone on the kitchen counter, still looking at Heather for approval of his plan.

Heather thought through the idea quickly as E.J. was getting up from the table. She simply adored him. He reminded her a great deal of her father, who had been quite a bit older than her mother, and closer to the age of a grandfather. They had been very close, and she missed him tremendously, even though he had been gone 5 years. She had lived alone in her own apartment the last year of college, but missed having someone to talk with. The opportunity of being able to garden with E.J. and tinker with his farm equipment was quite appealing to the Kansas girl who had spent the past 5 years living in a New York college town. "OK, yes!" she said as he reached for the receiver "I would love to be your guest for the next few days, and your renter/assistant if it all works out." They grinned at each other in a conspiratorial manner as he began to dial the ancient phone.

"Gail, my dear," he started out, in his most charming manner, "I was wondering if I could bring a guest to Sunday dinner."

Gail's mind immediately went to the list of eligible older ladies who lived in the Jericho area. "Why, of course, E.J." she started, her mind whirling, looking for a way to ask who he would be bringing without spooking him. "Ah, is this someone we know?"

"Yes, I do believe you have met her." E.J. had not planned to mislead his daughter-in-law, but laughed silently to himself as he followed her train of thought. Gail was always trying to pair him up with Mrs. Olson (8) or one of the other single ladies in town. Further, she followed the gossip of the town faithfully, and tracking down this tidbit would keep her busy for the rest of the week. Heather was watching him with a quizzical smile, not quite sure what was going on.

Gail tried a different tact. "Should I fix anything particular for dinner? Does she follow a special diet?"

E.J. knew this wasn't nice, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity. "No, I don't think she follows a special diet." He glanced at Heather for confirmation, and she shook her head.

At this point, Gail realized she would have better luck with her own sources than with her irascible father-in-law. "We'll see you and your lady-friend around noon, then?" she asked, before hanging up.

"I look forward to it. See you then." E.J. said to Gail agreeably, hanging up the phone.

"Um, what was that all about?" Heather asked when E.J. turned back to the table, her eyebrows raised.

"Oh, Gail thinks I'm bringing a lady friend to dinner. I didn't want to disappoint her!" E.J. said with a chuckle. "She will love getting to know you better!"

"We are going to get into a lot of trouble together, aren't we?" Heather asked with a giggle.

"Oh, I certainly hope so!" E.J. responded laughingly. "Why don't you go get your things and I'll get your room ready, my dear."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.

**Author's Note:** I got a review! Very exciting stuff! Thank you so much! Here's another chapter. Apparently the other FF authors are right, reviews DO make one want to write and post more.

**Chapter II: Family Matters **

**August 8, 2001**

As the week went on, Heather and E.J.'s status as kindred spirits was firmly established, and she was comfortably settled in at the Green Ranch. She had chosen an airy upstairs bedroom at the far end of the hall next to the bathroom. Her Grandmother's roll-top desk fit nicely into her room, as did her books and the few other sentimental objects she'd had shipped. Since she did not have to out-fit a kitchen from scratch, and school would not start for another week, she had plenty of time to spend with E.J.

E.J., like many folks of his generation, was a born storyteller. He had started Monday evening over dinner by telling Heather about the rest of the Green family. In addition to the mayor and his wife, E.J. mentioned his grandson Jake, who was away on long-term business. His grandson Eric, who was deputy mayor, had graduated law school two years earlier. Eric's wife April (9) had graduated medical school one year earlier, done a one year internship in family medicine, and was just in the process of setting up practice in the local clinic under the supervision of Dr. Henry Peterson (10), who was looking to retire in a few years.

Outside of Jericho, there were too many Green family members for Heather to keep straight. E.J. had been the youngest of his siblings, and the only one still living. He mentioned nieces and nephews in numerous states. Apparently E.J.'s son Johnston had a twin brother named Emmett (11), who was a successful judge in Kansas City, and sisters named Susan (12), Laura (13) and Sharon (14) who were all married with children and scattered across the country.

Intertwined with the family stories, E.J. filled Heather in on the folks that were "just like family". On Tuesday, while on a ranch walk-about, he introduced Heather to Scout (15) and Annie McCall (16), who currently lived in one of the cottages (B) on the ranch property since Scout had gone into "semi-retirement" a few years back. Prior to that, they had lived in the bunk house (C) and raised their children in the large finished basement while overseeing ranch operations and supervising the ranch hands who lived upstairs. Scout had come to Green Ranch more than 50 years earlier, fresh from a hitch in the Army. He had been hired as a ranch hand, and stayed on ever since, rising to the position of ranch foreman. Annie Shaw had arrived earlier that spring to help Catherine Green (17) tend her growing family and cook for the ranch staff. When Scout and Annie met, it had been love at first sight, and they were married the following spring. The McCall children that soon followed had grown up with the Green children, working hard on the ranch and playing hard after the chores were done. They all knew how to ride horses and care for them afterward. The ranch had a modest herd of dairy cattle, so they could each milk a cow and stand by for the uncomplicated delivery of calf or foal. During the summers the children from Green Ranch, along with a variety of children from town and other ranches would row boats or fish from the docks of the stock pond or wade in the stream that ran across the back of the property. One could never tell which children would arrive to play. The larger group of friends included Jonah Prowse and his sisters, the children from the Richmond Ranch, Gracie Leigh, the Bailey kids, Oliver Wilson, Frank Young and others. It was a bucolic, innocent upbringing that benefitted each of them.

Johnston Green was the first of the children to come of age and leave the ranch, enlisting in the army shortly after he graduated from Jericho High in 1965. His twin brother Emmett left for college that fall. When Johnston completed his 4-year enlistment with the Army, he returned to Jericho. He planned to use his G.I. Bill to attend the University of Kansas and take a degree in history, hoping to teach at Jericho High School one day. His brother, Emmett, had gone on to law school and was just starting a practice in Lawrence, so Johnston would be able to room with him while attending college.

The oldest McCall daughter, Carolyn, had just graduated high school and planned to help her Mother on the ranch for the summer. She and Johnston knew each other well from before his time in the Army, so they spent quite a bit of time together. As the summer drew to a close, it was obvious to all concerned that they were "an item", even if it wasn't official. Once fall arrived, Carolyn decided to stay on at the ranch to help, and Johnston would drive home for holidays and weekends as time allowed. Both Annie McCall and Catherine Green were delighted with the match, having grown as close as sisters in the years they had lived together on the ranch. The prospect of grandchildren one day soon had them particularly giddy.

One of the classes Johnston had to take that fall was a psychology class, offered only at the Salina Campus Medical Center. He chose a section that offered classes on Monday and Friday to coincide with his trips home to see Carolyn McCall and his family. After class one Monday early in the term, he decided to eat lunch before continuing on the Lawrence for the rest of his day. As he got into line in the hospital cafeteria, he noticed a gaggle of giggling nursing students just in front of him in line. The student at the end of the line, a redhead, kept glancing over her shoulder at him. When they reached the cashier, she checked out, and then fumbled with the napkins and utensils while Johnston checked out. When he went to reach for a fork, she turned and looked up at him, asking if he would join her for lunch. He agreed, and found himself fascinated with her. Soon he was arranging to eat lunch with her again on Friday.

**~ Johnston and Gail ~**

E.J. chuckled as he remembered how upset Catherine had been a few weeks later when Johnston had called things off with Carolyn McCall and told them about Abigail Duncan (18), the nursing student from Kansas City. Both Carolyn and Annie McCall had readily forgiven Johnston, Carolyn left for college in January to become a teacher. Catherine, however, did not begin to warm up to Gail for several years.

The romance between Johnston and Gail was a whirlwind, and they were married at Christmas time, 1969, despite the disapproval Catherine Green. As much as Catherine yearned for a grandchild, she feared one was already on the way due to the haste in which they rushed into their vows. Catherine had been raised in a strictly religious home - almost Puritanical - and a child out of wedlock would certainly have been a calamity. As it turned out, that was not to be a concern.

Not only was Gail not pregnant at the wedding, she did not become pregnant. Four long years went by, and no babies arrived at the home of the Jericho High history teacher and clinic nurse. Catherine was disappointed, but Gail was distraught. She sought medical evaluation locally, then with a specialist in Denver, but did not find the answers she wanted. Finally talk between she and Johnston turned to adoption. As much as she looked forward to the experience of pregnancy and a baby that carried traits of herself and Johnston, she was in favor of pursuing adoption. After watching Gail's misery month after month for four years, Johnston was equally happy to pursue adoption.

With a lighter heart, Gail made an appointment for herself and Johnston to meet with Dr. Peterson just before their fourth wedding anniversary. He was particularly happy to hear of their decision since one of his young patients in a nearby town had delivered a baby boy early that morning and planned to put him up for adoption since she was only 16. Dr. Peterson had advised the girl to put her baby into state-run foster care until a suitable family could be found. Now, he thought he could arrange a private adoption circumventing the paperwork and intrusiveness of an adoption through foster care. Gail was beyond ecstatic, and Johnston was rather pleased with the happy turn of events. The day was Monday, and the baby would be released from the hospital on Thursday morning if all went well. Gail's mind was already spinning with all of the things that needed to be done in just three short days!

During the three days that followed, a miracle transformation occurred upstairs in the Green home, and a charming nursery took shape. Friends gathered round the couple to supply baby furniture, linen, clothing, and supplies to get the new family started. A baby shower was planned for the following week by Betty Richmond (19) who had recently delivered a son, Stanley. Gail remembered the pangs of envy she had felt throughout Betty's pregnancy and was delighted that she and Betty would now be able to raise their sons together after all.

Thursday morning dawned cool and crisp as Gail and Johnston made their way to the courthouse in New Bern to meet with the judge, sign papers, and collect their new baby. Dr. Peterson met them on the front steps of the court house and accompanied them up to the 9th floor where they were ushered directly into the judge's chambers. Rafts of paperwork later, the judge called to his assistant in the outer office and a social worker came in carrying a well-swaddled baby. Gail was in tears and Johnston glassy-eyed as they were presented with their son. They had chosen the name Johnston Jacob Green Jr. after his Father; the middle name of Jacob given to all Green men to commemorate the first Green family member to arrive in the United States from Ireland, fighting with the Patriots during the American Revolution. They would call him "Jake".

**~ Jake ~**

By this point, it was Wednesday afternoon, and E.J. was taking Heather on a driving tour around the outer reaches of Green Ranch in an ancient orange and white pick-up which Heather had already dubbed "Charlotte". E.J. continued the telling of the "Green Family Saga" from one day to the next. Heather listened attentively, nodding and humming appropriately.

"Young Jake was quiet, observing everything that went on," E.J. reminisced fondly. "He would look at you with those big brown eyes that were filled with curiosity. Gail was immediately smitten, Johnston enrapt. Since it was nearly Christmas, and they knew the family would all be here for the Holidays, they decided not to tell anyone outside of Jericho. Of course the Jericho folks kept them busy enough!

"Gail arranged to take some time off from the clinic so she could be home with the baby. Jericho High had just let out for Christmas Break, so Johnston was able to be at home as well. You have never seen a happier family! The two of them made a nice couple, but they positively blossomed when that baby arrived in their home. Betty Richmond's shower was a big wing-ding with pretty much all of Jericho in attendance. Even Catherine began to soften up toward Gail - I secretly think she saw the writing on the wall and knew she would have to make nice if she wanted any grandbaby time! Gail graciously accepted her amends and the two struck up a truce which eventually became a friendship.

"Gail hadn't had nine months to ask questions and prepare for a baby despite her four long years of waiting. With her own Mother clear across the state in Kansas City, she turned to Catherine for day-to-day questions. That thrilled Catherine, since Emmett still showed no signs of getting married, Susan had just been married the previous summer, Laura was dating but not yet married, and Sharon was still in high school. To make matters worse, Carolyn McCall had decided to quit college and get married instead, giving Annie and Scout McCall two grandchildren already! And now, Catherine had home court advantage since _her_ grandchild was local, while Annie's were in Nebraska.

"Christmas week 1973 finally arrived, and all the kids started coming home. Our older kids, the two McCall kids who had already left home, various aunts, uncles, and cousins started piling into town. It was another big hullabaloo as each new group heard about the newest Green. I don't think a new baby had been so celebrated in a long time, and Gail could not have been happier. Sleepless nights and the changes a baby brought her life didn't be front her in the least; it was as though she was made for motherhood. Johnston, for his part, was just relieved to have her happy once again.

"January came, the company left, and things settled into a routine. Gail arranged to go back to work part-time evenings at the clinic so Jake would always be with one parent or the other. Gail would sit and knit baby clothes and just watch Jake sleep, she was that much in love with him. Catherine would drive into town and spend the afternoon with them once a week or so, and they became close.

"I guess it was in April when things began to change. Gail confided in Catherine that she hadn't been feeling well, and just didn't have the energy she'd had when they first brought Jake home. Catherine didn't think much about it until Gail mentioned it again a few weeks later, and looked markedly pale. Catherine put in a call to Dr. Peterson, and stayed with young Jake while Gail drove to the clinic to be seen. Catherine chalked it up to Gail burning the candle at both ends, and was completely surprised, as were we all; when Gail returned home an hour later announcing she was pregnant!

"I hear it's pretty common for that to happen ~ a couple can't have a baby, they adopt one, and then find they are going to have one after all. Gail was both delighted and petrified. As much as she had yearned for a pregnancy, she already had the perfect baby. And now she wasn't feeling as spunky as when they had first brought Jake home. She was overwhelmed with guilt about not being the perfect mother for Jake because she wasn't feeling well. Dr. Peterson and scores of experienced mothers around Jericho told her she would feel better at the end of the first trimester, so she clung to that hope.

"Unfortunately for our Gail, she had a perfectly terrible pregnancy. She had what they called _hyperemesis gravidarum_, and threw up every day for the whole nine months. Catherine practically lived at their house, helping to care for both Gail and Jake. Johnston did the best he could to keep the home fires burning while working full time at teaching. It was a rough year for them. Then, just after Thanksgiving, Gail went into labor. Johnston rushed her to the hospital in Rogue River since they had a top-notch maternity ward there and the baby wasn't due for a few more weeks. They did what they could to slow down the process, but Eric Jacob Green was born on December 1, 1974 - less than a year after Jake was born. Irish twins, so to speak. Fortunately, for all though it was a complicated pregnancy, it was an easy delivery and Gail was soon her old self again - with two baby boys now!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. The pictures are also borrowed.

**Author's Notes:** So, reviews are really nice, and not having any makes me think that there aren't any readers interested in having the story continue. If anyone out there is interested in having the story posted here, please let me know!

I am also posting this story at a Live Journal site ~ .com/ ~ where there are links to pictures (that's what all of those annoying numbers are about). Check it out if you are interested in seeing what the OC's look like in my head.

There is also a spreadsheet of the Families of Jericho ~ it will become more important as the chapters move along and more characters are introduced. I have not been able to upload it anywhere, but will be happy to e-mail it to anyone who would like it. Just request it in a review. For me, it helps keep track of who belongs to whom. It will be especially important when they start flashing back to the Olde Days of Jericho (hint, hint).

**Chapter III: The Years Go By **

**August 9, 2001**

By Thursday at noon, E.J. and Heather were enjoying a picnic lunch of fried chicken and potato salad on a plaid blanket next to the pond behind the ranch house. Heather was enjoying E.J.'s stories tremendously, but couldn't help but wonder what the rest of the family would think if they knew she was hearing the intimate details of their lives before she had even met most of them! She didn't have the heart to say anything, so she just nodded, smiled, and kept listening. E.J. happily obliged and continued the story.

"When Johnston brought Gail and Eric home from the hospital, Gail was raring to go. She dove head-long into helping Catherine with preparations for the 1974 Christmas wing-ding here at the ranch along with all the rest of her motherly duties. She even managed to make matching outfits for the boys to wear for the Christmas Eve service at church! That was pretty much how Gail operated for the next few years. We never did know where she got her energy.

"Gail went back to working a couple of afternoons a week at the clinic when Eric was about two years old. At first, Catherine loved spending a few hours a week with the boys between the time Gail left for work and the time Johnston arrived home. As the years went by, however, it seemed to be too much for Catherine. Fortunately, she and Gail had grown very close while Gail was pregnant, and Catherine felt comfortable confiding in Gail. Gail looked her over and noticed that her ankles were quite swollen. Catherine had been told early on that she had a "weak heart" and a heart murmur, so she hadn't thought much of it, just did the best she could. Gail insisted upon an appointment with Dr. Peterson the following morning, and I was drafted to watch the boys. Turns out Catherine had something called congestive heart failure. Doc Peterson gave her a bunch of medicine to start taking and scheduled her for some tests in Rogue River to determine the extent of the damage. At that point, Catherine confessed to having felt worn out for a long time, but folks just didn't complain about their ailments then like they do now. The tests in Rogue showed that her heart was pretty worn out and only functioning at a fraction of its normal capacity. The medicines would help to some extent, but she really needed to cut back on obligations and plan to spend more time resting with her feet elevated.

"Again, Gail went into overdrive and arranged for everything we needed. She arranged for Rachael McCall to watch the boys here at the ranch so Catherine could still spend time with them, just not be the one chasing after them! This also gave Gail the opportunity to assess Catherine's progress informally. Unfortunately, the medications did not help as much as the docs had hoped. They tried different combinations and doses, but Catherine needed oxygen around the clock by the next year and we had to set her up in the downstairs bedroom so she wouldn't have to navigate the stairs. It killed me to see her slipping away from me like that. I wanted to resign as Mayor of Jericho and stay home with her, but she wouldn't have any of it. Gail was now spending time every day at the ranch and the boys were spending more time with the McCalls because Catherine just couldn't tolerate the commotion. She loved those boys dearly and I'm so glad she'd had the opportunity to spend so much time with them when they were tiny.

"The Family Christmas Celebration of 1979 took place at Green Ranch, but it was a very subdued affair. Everyone came, but it was as though everyone knew that it was likely to be Catherine's last Christmas with us. Even the little kids were quieter than usual, spending more time over at the bunk house than usual. Lots of pictures were snapped, lots of hushed conversations took place. At her insistence, and with a great deal of effort, Catherine attended the Christmas Eve service at Church.

"That trip into town pretty much did her in, strength-wise. She stayed in bed until all of the company left. When we called her doctors the first week of January, they wanted her to come in to the office to discuss additional therapies. At that point they said they thought it was more than likely cardiomyopathy since she had not responded to any of the standard treatments and was declining so rapidly. She flat out refused to go in, saying she was tired and didn't want any heroic measures. The docs had already tried all of the medical options, and heart transplants weren't as common or available in those days, even if she had been a candidate. They called in some prescriptions to make sure she would be comfortable, and arranged for a visiting nurse to come to the house to evaluate further needs. Fortunately, the visiting nurse was one of Gail's classmates in nursing school and they were able to make short work of what needed to be done and who needed to do it. Gail would be the family representative, since she had the nursing background. She would also continue to coordinate medications and the new services. A nurse's assistant would come out for a few hours each day to help Catherine with a bath, doing her hair, getting her meals. Gail also came and went daily, and Annie McCall was in and out along with Rachel and the other McCall kids who were still at the ranch.

"Catherine never wanted for anything, and was seldom alone. Her downstairs bedroom, set up with a hospital bed, became the hub of activity. All decisions were run past Catherine, but she had none of the stress of carrying out the activity. She seemed to rally for a bit, enjoying afternoon tea with Gail and telling stories of when the children were little and of her own youth. By the time spring arrived, even this new arrangement proved too much for her, and one night she died peacefully in her bed, a passing any of us might wish for."

Still seated by the pond in the late afternoon sunlight, Heather leaned over and gave E.J. a hug as he cleared his throat and wiped his eyes a bit on his handkerchief.

"She was only 53 years old. We had been married 35 years - most of our lifetime - and raised 5 fine children together. I'm so thankful Johnston and Gail and the boys were here in Jericho; I don't know what I would have done without them. For all Imissed her like crazy, I was relieved that she was no longer in pain and confined to that bed. I can just picture her rocking babies in Heaven. That, and the fact that I knew I would see her again one day in heaven helped get me through the most difficult time of my life.

"Her memorial service was a standing-room-only event, with most of Jericho there to pay their respects. We couldn't have asked for a nicer tribute to her significance in the community. So many folks wrote personal notes and anecdotes they remembered about her. Very heart-warming, and I treasure them to this day."

The evening had finally started to cool off as Heather and E. J. gathered the remains of their picnic and made their way back to the ranch house. They had been sitting and talking for hours, and Heather hoped talking helped E.J. to feel better rather than uncomfortable to bring up his deceased wife. She was starting to wonder if anyone in the family had taken the time to write down all of the stories E.J. so freely shared about the history of the Green Family and of Jericho. Perhaps she should start taking notes.

**~ Another Generation Comes of Age - August 10, 2001 ~**

Heather spent time Thursday night and Friday morning making notes on her laptop of the stories E.J. had told her. She shyly brought her laptop down with her to lunch and set it on the table next to her place setting.

"I have a strange question," Heather started. "Have you or any of your family members ever written down the story of the Green Family?"

"Well, no," E.J. said thoughtfully, "I don't guess we have."

"Well, I'm really more of a science teacher than an English teacher," Heather started, "but I wrote down a few notes, if you would like to look at them later. I know I would have loved to hear these kinds of stories about my own family, but both my Grandfathers died before I was born and we had a small family. Anyway, I don't want to upset your family by presuming anything, but I am so enjoying listening to your stories and I thought it might be good to get them written down."

E.J. looked at her in amazement. "Well, I think that's a mighty fine idea, Heather my dear, but it sounds like a lot of work for you. I'd like to take a look at your notes, but I don't want to put you to any trouble."

"No trouble, then. You just keep telling me stories, and leave the rest to me O.K.?" Heather grinned across the table at him.

E.J. grinned back at her. "Where was I? Jake and Eric grew like weeds. They were five and six when Catherine died; Jake was in kindergarten. Gail had her hands full with the two of them and their shenanigans. I announced my plans to retire that summer and Johnston ran unopposed for the position of mayor in the fall. He took office in January of 1981 and has been mayor ever since. Finally I had some time to myself! I wished I had been able to retire earlier when Catherine was still here, but it just wasn't meant to be.

"As it was, with Johnston in the hot seat, I was able to help Gail out a little by allowing Jake and Eric let off steam around the ranch. Lorraine McCall married Frank Young, the Presbyterian Pastor's son, and they moved home to Jericho when he finished seminary. They had sons around the same age as our two, as well as the youngest McCall boy, Will, who was just a few years older than Jake, and Stanley Richmond, of course. The bunch of them played "army men" and "cowboys & Indians" and "pirates", chasing around with plastic swords and wooden guns and hats of every description. I thought they would never outgrow those days, and I enjoyed them so much more than I had enjoyed my own kids, because I had more time.

"Finally, their interests turned to riding the horses and they were old enough to take on responsibilities around here. Like their parents, they learned to milk the cows and take care of the horses. By the time they got into middle school, Eric turned into a scholar while Jake continued his love of adventures. Now Jake was bright enough, he just didn't see the need to study if he could get an "A" on the test without. Somehow, that boy could absorb math and science without having to study like you or I might. He also enjoyed history ~ we would discuss whatever he was learning while we would work on projects together. He was another one that loved to hear stories." E.J. gave Heather a wink.

"When Jake confided in me that he had stolen a kiss from Emily Prowse on a field trip to the town museum when they were 11, I knew we were in trouble. The two of them were as thick as thieves from that point on, with Stanley Richmond being the third member of their crew. Oh, the fun they had!

"It was when Jake (20) was a freshman at Jericho High that we ran into some real trouble. He took biology that year, and they studied genetics first thing. Jake figured out that it was _possible_, but _highly unlikely_, that two parents with blue eyes could have a child with brown eyes. Now I remember discussing Jake's adoption with him when he was a little fellow, but apparently he was too young to remember. He confronted Johnston and Gail, and they were equally stumped, figuring he had always known. It just wasn't a big deal, so we didn't bring it up often. Jake was fighting mad and felt betrayed; as I guess some folks do in that situation.

"Jake made some poor choices, mainly out of anger, for a few years. He started spending more time with Emily's father, Jonah Prowse, and participated in some shady goings-on. To his credit, he kept his grades up, and still managed to work part-time washing dishes at the Pizza Garden. By the time he was a senior, he had reconciled with his parents, for the most part, and they agreed to send him to Embry Riddle to get his degree in aeronautical engineering like they had planned. After he graduated college, he moved back to Jericho, but he lived here at the ranch with me rather than living in town with his parents. He and his Mother remained close, but he and Johnston were like oil and water. Jake felt like nothing he ever did was good enough to please his Father.

"Turns out, Jake living out here was a good move for both of us. We are the same in many ways. I'd say the 'sense of humor gene' skipped a generation, but it wouldn't even be funny after the whole Jake not remembering he was adopted debacle. Anyway, I learned a lot of things about Jake that not many people know, especially Johnston. It might be that I shouldn't be telling you these things, but I feel like I can trust you to keep it under your hat. You might not ever meet up with Jake, so it won't matter anyway.

"As I long suspected, some of Jake's misbehavior growing up was probably because he was bright and bored. When he got to Embry Riddle and realized that he really wouldn't have much time actually piloting planes, he enlisted in the Florida's Army National Guard as a reservist. He spent his holidays and weekends attending schools and doing ANG missions He was thinking about doing Special Forces at one point, so he took a lot of their schools while he was there, too. He ended up being a Warrant Officer and flying helicopters and some fixed wing aircraft. With all of those things to occupy his time, he just didn't have the time to get into mischief! Jake has not told his parents about his military service to this day.

"The first thing he did after he graduated college was to apply to the FBI. Somehow he thought it would be a grand adventure to be a pilot for the FBI. Turned out, he had to become an agent first, so he did that along the way. All this time, the boy was an overachiever, and we never knew it! He also remained in the ANG, transferring to a Kansas reserve unit in Topeka and being commissioned as a full officer. None of these things were full-time commitments, so he was here some, then would be gone some. He would take the Cessna I keep at the Jericho Airfield and fly off to whenever the FBI needed him to make a flight for them or to Topeka for his ANG commitments.

"He also started visiting Jonah out at his compound near the airfield again. I was concerned at first, but eventually Jake let me in on that story as well. I guess after Jonah was done with his military commitment years ago in Vietnam, he went up north and found some mischief of his own in extortion and related departments. Since it crossed over state lines, it was considered a federal case, and he was working for some folks the feds really wanted to catch up with. The FBI was more than willing to give Jonah a reduced term - 4 years instead of 20 - if he were to give up the bigger fish in the operation. Since Jonah was new to the scene, he had no trouble with that, and he came home to Jericho 4 years later when he was released from Lansing Federal Penitentiary. I guess another condition of his sentence reduction was that he operated some kind of half-way house for recovering ex-cons. Jonah had trained as a machinist during his stay in Lansing, so he has them doing some of that type of work and some transport work. They send him ex-cons from around the region with those aptitudes and he helps them get started again. And now, our Jake was assigned to supervise things, them both being conveniently from Jericho and all.

"I have a feeling that something went wrong in that department this spring, and that might have been why Jake left Jericho so abruptly. From what I can piece together, Jonah's younger son Chris (21) was supposed to have completed a routine transportation job with Mitchell Cafferty (22) to a bank remodel in Rogue River. Coincidentally, a bank heist was going down at the same time, and Chris Prowse ended up dead. Theoretically, the two of them should have been innocent bystanders, but the police scooped Mitchell up when they arrested the bank robbers and we haven't seen him since, so I'm guessing he was the inside man. I always knew Mitchell Cafferty was trouble. I couldn't ask too many questions without tipping Jake's hand (Of course no one knows about his secret life as a FBI agent, either), so I mostly minded my business and have been waiting for Jake to call and explain. I'm still waiting on that phone call."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. The pictures are borrowed as well.

**Author's Note: **The previous chapters were introductory/background information. This chapter is kind of a bridge, and things will start to move along a little faster during Chapter V. Thanks for sticking around!

**Chapter IV: School Begins **

**August 10-13, 2001 **

E.J. looked at the clock and rose abruptly from his seat at the kitchen table. "We'll have to get going if we're going to make it on time," he exclaimed!

"Um, where are we going?" Heather asked in confusion.

"Oh. I probably forgot to mention the Bar-B-Q," E.J. replied, "It's a Friday evening tradition here at the ranch. Everyone who is here at the ranch gets together for dinner at the bunk house. It's pot-luck. We'll take the apple cider I picked up at the mill yesterday. Attire is casual, so you're fine with what you're wearing. We can walk over in about twenty minutes if you can be ready by then?"

"Sure," replied Heather enthusiastically, "I'll just freshen up and meet you by the back door."

Half an hour later, as they neared the bunk house, a festive atmosphere greeted them. The house itself was a large, two-story building, red with white trim. The main floor was mostly one long room with an industrial kitchen (F) at one end, a dining area (G) in the middle, and a sitting area (H) at the opposite end. Heather recognized Scout and Annie McCall from meeting them earlier in the week. E.J. introduced her to Wes (23) and Joanna McCall (24): Wes was Scout's oldest son, and the current ranch foreman. Joanna was a Montgomery before she got married and had grown up on the Richmond Ranch where her father was ranch foreman there. They were the current residents of the finished basement because they had the largest family of the ranch at present ~ 6 kids ranging in age from 3 to 19. Other, smaller families lived in various cottages on the property, while several single ranch hands lived upstairs in the bunk house proper with dormitory-like accommodations. It was a system that had worked for several generations, so it seemed like a good one.

After that, the names and faces became a blur for Heather as music was played by a group in one corner on guitars, a fiddle and piano; food was served cafeteria style at the stainless steel kitchen counter and eaten at the long dining tables while games of all sorts were played in and around everything else. Everyone was warm and welcoming. She had no doubt that she would never be lonely during her stay here at Green Ranch. She picked several 8-year-olds out of the crowd that might be potential students and tried to take a minute to speak with them, but the chaos was too much for constructive conversation. She sat back and enjoyed the evening. Soon the older teenagers and other single folk excused themselves to go into town for the evening. Someone Heather might have met earlier invited her to join them, but she politely declined, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the commotion.

At last the evening was over and E.J. walked Heather home. It had been a lovely evening, just loud and full of new faces and names. Heather enjoyed a good night of sleep and spent Saturday doing laundry in preparation for her orientation week at school.

Sunday dawned clear and warm. Heather and E.J. left early for church. When they met up with Johnston and Gail in the foyer, E.J. made introductions.

"Yes, I remember Heather from her interview last spring," Gail said with a smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Green! It is a pleasure to meet you, Mayor Green," Heather said, shaking Johnston's hand.

"So you are Jericho's new third grade teacher! It's nice to meet you!" Johnston said with a smile.

With everyone talking at once, and the church organ starting to play, everyone quickly moved into the sanctuary and took their seats in the pew that had been used by the Green family for generations. Eric and April Green were already seated, so she would officially meet them later.

During the "handshake of friendship", numerous parishioners made their way to the Green pew to meet Heather and welcome her to Jericho. Heather saw a number of familiar faces from her week at Green Ranch and a few more from her spring interview trip. Again, Heather felt reassured that she would never be lonely in Jericho.

Once the benediction had been played and everyone exited the sanctuary, the family gathered in the parking lot to discuss plans for the day. E.J. announced that he and Heather would follow the other two couples back to Gail & Johnston's home and would be bringing fresh apple cider. Did they need to bring anything else?

Gail gave E.J. a sideways look - "So, Miss Heather is your mystery date to Sunday Dinner? You had me going for a while there, E.J." Gail said laughingly.

E.J. had the good grace too look sheepish before he nodded and smiled in return. "Guilty as charged, I'm afraid, Gail. I've spent the week regaling her with Green family stories and Jericho history. If she hasn't run for the hills yet, I think we're pretty safe with her."

"I'm sure we will have a wonderful afternoon getting to know Heather, thank you for inviting her, Dad." Gail nodded as she headed toward the cars in an attempt to get everyone moving along toward home.

Sunday dinner was simple but delicious. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, garden-fresh green peas and tossed salad. Dessert was fresh apple pie from the Surry Apple Farm that also provided the widely popular apple cider, and homemade French vanilla ice cream. They enjoyed hot coffee and tea over dessert as they sat and chatted.

"So, you mentioned wanting to discuss something when you called?" Gail finally asked, breaking the ice.

"Yes," E.J. agreed. "Heather was so kind as to come over and help me with some research when she should have been hunting for a place to stay. We had such an enjoyable afternoon; I thought we might both benefit from having her rent a room out at Green Ranch. She has stayed all week as my guest and I haven't managed to scare her away yet, have I?" He asked with a leer in Heather's general direction.

"No, indeed," Heather said with a warm laugh. "I have had such an enjoyable week listening to all of your stories about the way things used to be. E.J. didn't think anyone in the family had been writing the stories down, so I have taken a few notes if anyone is interested in looking at them later. Again, I'm a science teacher, not an English teacher, but these stories are fascinating! I sure wish I knew these kinds of stories about my own family!"

April was the first to pipe in with an answer. "I know I have only recently married into the family, so I'm not sure if I get a vote, but I _love_ Grandpa's stories! I have given some thought to writing them down myself, but haven't yet had the time between medical school and residency. I also think you will be good for each other out at the ranch." April glanced around the room, daring anyone to come up with an argument. She and Heather exchanges smug grins as the seconds ticked on in silence.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Johnston soon replied. "It's a bit farther out than we usually like for our teachers to live, but the ranch has a group of kids that come in on the bus to school. If the weather made you uncomfortable to drive, you could always ride in on the bus with the kids. Just don't let my father, here, lead you into mischief, and I think you will get along fine. Welcome to the family, Heather!"

The rest of those gathered seconded Johnston's sentiments, and Heather felt that she had passed whatever test she had been holding her breath over. She sat back and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon.

On the ride back to the ranch, E.J. had abruptly become serious and stated he wanted to discuss their rental agreement. Heather's eyes widened and she felt intimidated. She had not seen this side of E.J. before. He went on to say that he would not tolerate tardiness in business dealings, and expected the rent money to be on his desk promptly by 8am on the first of every month. He expected mutual respect, but he did not care to be argued with about petty matters.

"The Green family has been fortunate in finances, Miss Lisinski. From time to time, I like to pass along our good fortune to someone who might be just starting out. Your rent will be $1.00 per month, due on my desk as described. Furthermore, this will be our little secret. Will there be any trouble with this arrangement, Miss Lisinski?"

Heather looked at E.J. and he looked back at her.

"No, Sir, I think that arrangement will be satisfactory. Thank you, Sir." Heather finally said with a grin.

E.J. met her grin, patted her hand, and said "Good. That's my girl!"

Orientation week passed quickly for Heather. Fortunately, the outgoing third-grade teacher was retiring, and had left a wealth of supplies in the classroom. Heather quickly got them cataloged and organized in between meetings and other required activities. She poked around the school buildings and discovered an unused piano, still in playable condition. While she had not been big on many of the feminine skills her Mother had tried to instill in her, piano lessons for three years had been mandatory. While she would never be a concert pianist, she had mostly enjoyed them, and had been thankful for them when she decided to become a teacher. During her student teaching days, she discovered that music was really all about math, that it helped get the wiggles out and calm the children, and that facts learned to music stuck with the children much better than facts presented in the plain dry manner. Heather was ecstatic!

It was at her first staff meeting that she finally realized the inter-connected-ness of the small town of Jericho. Turns out Helen McVeigh (25), the school principal, had also been a Montgomery and grown up on Richmond Ranch. She had met Ralph McVeigh (26) while they were in college and married soon after she had graduated. They had spent the next 20 years touring the world as he fulfilled his military service as an Army officer. Helen had been fortunate to work as a teacher or administrator on many of the foreign bases where they had been posted, so she had been qualified to take over as the principal of Jericho's K-12 school when they returned and the position became available. Then there was Emily Sullivan (This _was_ the same person as Emily Prowse that E.J. had mentioned, right?) whose Aunt Martha (27) was married to Paul Fisher (28) who owned the hardware store that Heather had gotten supplies from one day at lunch. Then there was her Aunt Ruth (29), who was married to Chuck Dawes (30), the Sheriff of Jericho. These new tidbits of information, combined with the vast wealth of information E.J. had given her the previous week, convinced Heather that she needed to start a spread-sheet to keep straight all of the families of Jericho. Especially if she were going to write down their stories.

Rather than a traditional Bar-B-Q that Friday night, E.J. informed Heather that there would be a big picnic to celebrate the end of summer on Saturday afternoon. Each year a different family hosted the event.

"This year it will be at the Jackson Farm," explained E.J. "Stanley Richmond's cousins. Have you met Stanley (31) yet?"

No, Heather didn't think so.

"Oh, you will love Stanley. He and Jake grew up together here at the ranch. He had just left to attend college on a football scholarship when his parents were killed in a car accident. Gave it all up to come home and run the family farm and raise his baby sister Bonnie who was just four at the time. Such a tragedy for the family, but they were fortunate to have their Aunt Ginny (32) and Uncle Walt Jackson (33) on the next farm over, and the Montgomery's, who have been on that land more than 50 years, like the McCall's here. Stanley did a good thing, standing by his sister as he did. Most young men would not have had the integrity to give up their own aspirations. He's a fine young man."

On the short drive to the Jackson Farm, E.J. explained that the Richmond's eldest son Clifford had been killed in Vietnam in the same battle that Michael Bailey had been killed. They had been in the same unit. It had been a terrible blow to the community to lose two of its best and brightest young men. Jericho was thankful for the safe return of Johnston Green and Walt Jackson, and said additional prayers for Jonah Prowse who had signed on for another tour and Oliver Wilkins who was missing in action, possibly a prisoner of war.

"Eventually, Old John Richmond decided to divide his land between his two remaining children. George got the most of it because he planned to continue farming the land. He and Betty Montgomery had been an item from the time they were young, and got married as soon as her parents would allow it. Ginny Richmond started spending time with Walt Jackson when he returned from Vietnam and became a deputy sheriff. They were married the same year as George and Betty. The Montgomerys still helped to work the land, and Walt & Ginny had a good place to raise their children."

By this point in the conversation, E.J. and Heather had arrived at the Jackson Farm, a modest yet cheerful white farmhouse and barn surrounded by acres of corn. The barn doors were open and the rafters were strung with white lights. Tables and chairs were set up around the edges inside the barn and out into the gravel drive where dozens of people were already congregating. E.J. parked his old truck in the field where others were parking and they started toward the house, Heather balancing a platter of brownies she had baked that morning. She had never quite gotten the hang of cooking, but at least she could bake if need be.

As they reached the back door, a tall blond man was coming out.

"Grandpa Green!" He exclaimed, pulling the older man in for a bear hug. "How are you? I haven't seen you around lately. And who have we here?" He asked, noticing Heather over E.J.'s shoulder.

"Stanley Richmond, meet Heather Lisinski, Jericho's new third grade teacher." E.J. said with a flourish, knowing Stanley and several other young men of Jericho would find Heather very interesting.

"Miss Lisinski, it's a pleasure to meet you," Stanley said in a mock display of chivalry, bowing low and kissing her fingertips.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Stanley, I've heard good things about you," Heather responded with a giggle.

"Aw, don't believe a word of it," Stanley said with a laugh, straightening up and resuming his usual farm boy persona. "Come on, I'll show you around."

And with that, Heather was whisked off for the remainder of the evening, meeting countless Jacksons and Montgomerys.

When the children arrived for the first day of school the following Monday morning, Heather found many familiar faces in her classroom. Nick Cale belonged to Shep and Rachael and spent time at the bunkhouse with four year old Lucas visiting their grandparents Scout and Annie McCall. His cousin Tess McCall belonged to Wes and Joanna. Ned Montgomery grew up on Richmond Ranch. She thought Austin Carroll was Mrs. McVeigh's grandson.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V: We Will Never Forget**

**September 11, 2001**

By the second week in September, Heather had gotten her school routine down to a fine science. She adored her kids, and felt like it was mutual. When an office runner brought her the announcement that fateful Tuesday morning, she didn't think much about it. She instructed the kids to continue working quietly while she stepped to her desk to read the memo. Tears formed in her eyes as the enormity of the situation struck her. The office had advised the teachers to inform the students in general, age-appropriate terms, and warned that parents would likely be arriving to pick up their students throughout the day, so attempts to stick with routine classwork would be futile. Heather took a deep breath and called the kids to gather around her and take seats on the carpet.

"Something bad has happened on the East Coast, and we're not sure of all of the details just yet. At this point, it seems like someone is trying to hurt some of the people of our country. This is a very sad day for the United States. Since we don't yet know what all is happening, some of your parents may want to come and pick you up early so your families can be together. That will be fine. In the meantime, how about if we gather around the piano and sing some songs about our country that we love? Does anyone have a favorite Patriotic song?"

Tess McCall raised her hand and asked to sing "America the Beautiful".

Heather pulled out several music books and they sang song after song as parents started arriving to sign out their children. As the third grade population diminished, students from other grades began to drift into Heather's class to sing until their parents, too, arrived to collect them. Soon the entire elementary school was devoid of students, and the teachers could remove their masks and face the reality of the day. With hugs and reassurances, they each made their way home so they could connect with their own families and watch the news to catch up on the latest events.

When Heather arrived home at the ranch just after noon, E.J. greeted her with a hug. He had served as an Army Ranger in WWII and was familiar with death and destruction, but it was always jarring, especially when it involved civilians.

"There will be a meeting at the school this evening at 6p.m.," E.J. finally said, "if you would like to drive in with me. Johnston will be discussing what we know so far and what the community response will be if there are further attacks."

"Yes, please," responded Heather, "I just need a little time to process what we know so far."

"I've had the T.V. on all morning since I heard. It's like watching a train wreck. You just can't look away for fear of missing something. I'm going to walk over to the bunkhouse and let the McCalls know about the meeting in town." And with that, E.J. went out the back door.

Heather made herself a cup of hot tea and a plate of cookies before curling up on the couch to watch the news. Just as she got settled, the phone rang.

"Hello, Green Ranch" she answered.

"Who in the hell is this and what are you doing there?" came the surly reply.

"This is Heather Lisinski, and I'll thank you to watch your language. Who is this?"

"This is Jake Green. What are you doing at the ranch?"

"Oh, Jake. You're probably looking for your Grandfather. He just walked over to the bunkhouse to speak with the McCalls about a town meeting tonight. I know he is anxious to speak with you," Heather replied.

"How do you know that? And what are you doing there?" Jake asked again, calming only a little.

"I'm sorry," Heather responded quickly, trying not to be flustered, "your Grandfather has rented a room to me. I am the new third grade teacher here in Jericho. I met him in the library over the summer and helped him do a little research when the librarian was less than accommodating. We've been using my laptop. We struck up such a nice friendship. Since I was new in town and didn't know anyone or have a place to stay, he was kind enough to befriend me and rent me a room. He'll probably be back in a few minutes if you would like to hold."

"Well, I'm calling from Venezuela, so I don't really want to hold, but perhaps we could talk until he gets back. You have a laptop? Do you have videoconferencing software? I need to speak with my Grandfather and explain a lot of things, and being able to do it face-to-face would be nice, if you could set it up. Not today, of course, but sometime after we figure out what's going on with the east coast. And who's responsible. And what else they have up their sleeves." Jake was calmer now.

"Yes," said Heather. "I can set it up for you to talk with your Grandfather. I don't suppose you know any more than they are reporting on the news?"

"No, not this time," Jake responded quickly. "So, Heather Lisinski who is Jericho's new third grade teacher, where are you from, and what brought you to Jericho?" Jake asked, now curious.

"Well," Heather replied, thankful to have Jake calmer now, "I grew up in New Bern. My Father was the chief engineer at the brake assembly plant, so I spent all of my free time with him, exploring and learning. My Mom died when I was 12, so my Father was a big influence in my life. He taught me a lot about the plant, about engineering, and about his hobby of working on old appliances and engines. I probably would have been a mechanical engineer like he was, but it really isn't a very feminine pursuit. So I settled for a degree in mechanical engineering and a teaching certificate. My Dad died the year I graduated high school, so I went to live in upstate New York with my Dad's brother and his family. I went to college there, but I didn't care for the climate. Jericho had the first teaching position available in this area, so here I am!"

With that, E.J. came through the back door and Heather was spared another awkward pause.

"Jake is on the phone for you," she said the E.J., holding out the receiver.

E.J. took the phone and sat down. "Jake! Are you alright? Where are you? When will you be home?"

Heather could hear the sounds of a reply, but not the words. She had taken herself back to the couch to watch the news.

"Venezuela? What in tarnation are you doing there?" E.J. interjected . . . "No, I know better to ask that kind of question. . . . Any idea when you'll be back? . . . Your Mother is worried sick, and so is your Father, even if he wouldn't admit it. Will you call your Mother, or can I at least tell you I spoke with you? . . . Well, you take care of yourself and let us hear from you again soon, OK? . . . I miss you, Jake. . . Love you, too."

E.J. finally placed the receiver back on the base of the phone and sat silently for a long moment. Heather remained on the couch, trying to be absorbed by the news. Her heart went out to E.J. over his concern for his grandson.

E.J. finally got up and joined Heather on the couch. Heather reached out and patted his hand. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze, also giving her a wry smile.

"Well, I guess we should head toward town," he finally said.

On the drive in to town, Heather was pensive. "You know, this is exactly the kind of thing you were talking about when we first met. Who knows who is really responsible for this, or what else they have planned. We're getting news, but how do we know if it is the whole story? Not to get too conspiratorial, but I'm with you. I'd rather plan ahead and be prepared for the worst rather than sit around waiting for someone on the news thousands of miles away to give me directions. What if they plan more attacks and knock out the power? Will we just sit here in the dark? Waiting for some government agency to come to our rescue? I know I've gotten side-tracked by the beginning of school, but we're pretty much settled into a routine now. I'd like to get back to our research and planning whenever you're ready."

E.J. looked over at Heather with a cheerless smile. "Believe me, I take no joy in this project, but it does give me great peace of mind to think that I am helping to prepare the next generation of Jericho for whatever may come. I have no illusions that I may not live to see it. I hope and pray that it won't come at all. But I still feel like it's better to be safe than sorry. Let's get through tonight, and then I will speak with Johnston and have him call a town meeting. Between us, perhaps we can come up with a presentation?"

"Sounds like a plan," responded Heather, also somber.

As they approached the school, they beheld a sea of cars. Although they were early, it looked as though most of Jericho had turned out to hear what Johnston Green could add to CNN and Fox's take on the events of the day. E.J. took the first available parking place in the middle of the elementary school's playground and the two began their walk toward the high school football stadium. E.J. remarked he'd never seen as big a crowd at a game or graduation. The bleachers were filled and small groups were gathering on the field, talking amongst themselves. Stanley saw them before they saw him.

"Grandpa Green! Heather! Over here." He called out, quickly signing to Bonnie about their arrival.

Bonnie accepted a hug from E.J. and gave Heather a smile as Stanley dominated the conversation.

"So what in the world is going on?" Stanley launched back into the conversation he must have been having with his cousin ~ was it Connor or Collin, Heather wondered idly, the two looked similar. "I finished the morning chores and came into the house to watch the news with my breakfast," Stanley continued. "Every channel was full of airplanes flying into buildings. What did we ever do to deserve this?"

By this point, it was nearing 6pm, and Johnston was calling for quiet from the podium at one end of the field. Fortunately, he had requisitioned the PA system, because his voice never would have carried over the crowd or the distance.

"Thank you for coming tonight, folks," Johnston began. "We don't have much more information than what is being reported by the national news outlets, but I wanted to reassure you about what we do know."

"Are we being attacked?" interrupted a heckler from the crowd who Heather remembered from her interview as Gray Anderson.

"Yes, Grey, it would seem we were attacked," Johnston answered patiently, "but we have no reason to believe there will be any further attacks than what we have already experienced. The U.S. government, including the Pentagon, is still fully functional. The FAA has closed American airspace until further notice since the four separate events of the day each revolved around the airline industry. If you or a loved one was planning to fly somewhere this week, best make other arrangements. Also, there has already been a vast outpouring of support from within the Emergency Medical Services community as police, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency personnel pledge to go to the affected areas to help with search efforts. Individual citizens are asked to donate blood if they are able. The Jericho Med Center will be accepting blood donations during regular business hours. This is Tuesday. Let's plan to meet back here Friday evening same time, for another update. If anything else happens in the meantime, I'll send out word and we'll meet sooner. Are there any questions?"

Gray, now with reinforcements in the form of several of his salt mine cronies, started in again on Johnston the minute he gave them the opening:

"Who is attacking us?"

"What's this all about?"

"What will their next targets be?"

"How will we be affected by this in the days and weeks to come?"

Johnston shook his head. "Now folks, I don't know the answers to those questions and you know it. None of us do. Are we going to stand out here tonight and play worst-case-scenario? Or are we going to go home and get some sleep tonight and see what the morning brings. I trust you people. I love my town. I know that whatever happens, we will work together to solve whatever problems come along. I've been to big cities, and been to foreign countries, but I will take the good people of Jericho over any other town. Let's just stay calm and keep all those involved in our prayers, OK? Thank you for coming. Good night, everyone." And with that, Johnston flipped off the PA microphone, officially ending the program of the evening.

As per their earlier instructions, Jericho deputies with bullhorns walked amongst the crowd. "Thank you all for coming out tonight and please drive home safely," they said repeatedly, as they began gently herding the people out of the football stadium. They began on the field with Grey Anderson and his men.

As soon as they were able, E. J. and Heather started making their way toward the bleachers where Gail and Johnston were standing in the midst of a small mob of people. They ran into Eric and April en route.

"Coffee at your parent's house?" E. J. asked Eric as soon as they were in proximity.

"That's right. I'll help to extricate Dad if you want to take April and head over there," Eric responded with a nod.

E. J. nodded and linked arms with April so she would not get separated from Heather and him. The three of them turned and headed back toward the playground. Heather had been attending the weekly family dinners at the Green home each Sunday after church and had grown to be friendly with April, even though April did not yet have time to socialize due to her schedule. She felt like April had a sensible side and might assist them in their scheme to prepare Jericho, even if it were only a vote of confidence. Apparently E.J. had the same idea. On the short drive back to the Green home, E.J. broached the subject with her.

"You know, if this had hit closer to home, we wouldn't have been prepared," E.J. began. "Everyone knows they are supposed to have 3 days' supply of water & food stored away in case of a tornado, in addition to flashlights, batteries and whatnot, but if the lights really went out, we'd be in bad shape. I'm thinking this is a wake-up call for all of us to become better prepared."

April looked at E.J. with an uncomprehending gaze. She had been raised a city girl in Phoenix, where the warm summers were appreciated and there were no other true natural phenomenon with which to concern oneself. She's met Eric at college in Denver, where they had both stayed for grad school, then moved to Salina, KS for her medical internship. She really had not given much thought to preparing for disasters, natural or otherwise.

"Why, I guess so," April finally said vaguely. "I guess Eric is usually the one who worries about that type of thing."

Heather was a bit surprised by April's lackadaisical response, but E.J. was not. He was used to this reaction.

"We'll talk about it more when we get to the house. Maybe it will make more sense then," E.J. replied. As passionately as he felt about the topic, he hated to hurt April's feelings.

When they reached the Green home on Washington Drive, E.J. made himself comfortable at the kitchen table while Heather started coffee and April set the table and put out the raspberry cheesecake Gail had made earlier in the afternoon. Heather took the opportunity to peek into Gail's pantry and was gratified to note that it was packed floor to ceiling with Costco-sized food packages. Whether they were planning or not, they were starting off in a pretty good place. Heather's mind was already spinning with the presentation she was supposed to help with.

Johnston, Gail and Eric arrived home shortly and soon they all were sitting around the kitchen table discussing the events of the day and the meeting that had followed.

"Leave it to Grey to aggravate an already problematic situation," Johnston was saying.

"Nothing we do will ever be right in his eyes," Eric replied bitterly.

"No," E.J. interjected, seizing the opening, "but you _could_ do everything possible to be beyond reproach. Take this opportunity and play it out in your heads to the worst case scenario. What would you _want_ to have done, what systems would you _want_ to have in place, if this _had_ hit closer to home? What would we be doing right now if the lights _had_ gone out in Jericho, Kansas? What would we _wish_ we had done to prepare? I've said this before, but I'll say it again. I only see this type of event increasing in the future, be it foreign or domestic, a natural disaster or man-made, political or economic. You all know I'm doing what I can to prepare the ranch, but it will barely be enough for the rest of the Green family, and certainly not enough for the rest of Jericho. I propose that we offer the people of Jericho the chance to become educated and make their own decisions on the topic. We can do some things, as local government, but they need to do the rest as individuals and families. Heather and I would be willing to make a brief presentation at the meeting on Friday night to introduce the subject and tell the townspeople when we will have a follow-up meeting, maybe pass out a flier with basic information?" E.J. had been speaking rapidly, trying to speak his peace before possible interruption. Surprisingly, he found his audience starting to nod in agreement.

"I know I've been resistant to this kind of talk in the past, Dad, but you're probably right. When was the last time we updated our Community Emergency Plan - the Cold War? Probably should give that a thorough going-over at the same time. The threats have probably changed some since then, as well as our ability to deal with them. If I remember correctly from my Ranger training, the top priorities are water, food, communications, security, medical and fuel, does that sound about right?"

"Sounds like a good start," E.J. replied, inwardly delighted that it hadn't taken a major confrontation to get his point across.

Johnston turned to Heather, "And you're in on this too, are you?" He asked with a smile.

"Yes, sir, my family has always taken personal responsibility very seriously," Heather responded without thinking through her words.

"Whoa, are you saying we're irresponsible?" Johnston asked, chuckling.

Heather's eyes became big and she started to stammer "No, not at all. In New York, the cold winters make it imperative that one be prepared for any eventuality . . ."

E.J. interrupted her: "Johnston, leave the girl alone. We've all had a big day and there is no need to poke fun at her expense."

They all laughed a bit more, Heather included as she realized the mayor was teasing her. Indeed, it had been a big day, and no one knew what the next day might hold. School was to be in session the following day barring unforeseen circumstances, so they agreed to meet back at the house late the following afternoon to brainstorm. They wanted to put together a basic presentation for Friday evening, outline a risk assessment for the town, and propose a plan of action both for the town and for individual households. They agreed to keep the committee to the group they had for the moment, and solicit additional volunteers as time went on.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. The pictures are also borrowed.

**Author's Notes:** This is a short chapter, so there will be another chapter posted in a few days. I hope you are enjoying the story!

**Chapter VI: Assessing the Community **

**September 14, 2001**

By the time Friday arrived, the group had managed to meet each evening over dinner and felt comfortable with the presentation Johnston, E.J. and Heather planned to make at the town meeting. Heather had created a power point presentation to cover the basic points as well as fliers for the townsfolk to take home with them. April was scheduled to work at the clinic that evening, but even she was beginning to realize the importance of being prepared.

They left the house early to get to the football stadium and get everything set up. The crowd was anticipated to be smaller - only a representative from each household rather than every member of the township - so they set themselves up in front of the home-team bleachers.

"Take your seats, please," Johnston started, just before 6pm. The crowd was much less anxious tonight, more visiting and less concern over the topic at hand. Finally, most of the people had been seated.

"Thank you for coming back tonight," Johnston continued. "I know you all have busy schedules, so we will make this as brief as possible. As the news outlets have been broadcasting, the east coast attacks seem to have been isolated and there does not seem to be any imminent danger to the rest of the country. Here in Jericho, however, we have been looking at a few things we would like to share with you tonight. Former Mayor of Jericho, E.J. Green would like to say a few words to start the presentation."

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," E.J. started. "It's nice to be addressing you again, although I'm sorry for the circumstances. I have been concerned for some time about the direction in which this country is going, and the events of this week amplify my worries. If this had hit closer to home, if we had lost power for an extended period, would we have been ready? I think not. As a _community_, we need to evaluate the risks and have plans of action for the various eventualities. Miss Lisinski, here, is our new third grade teacher in Jericho. She will bring you that part of the presentation in just a few minutes.

"As _individuals_ living in tornado country, each of us knows we should be prepared with 3 days of water and food, flashlights, a transistor radio, the means to keep warm, etc. Personally, I think we need to go farther than that. There seem to be two forms of "preparation". The first is the "stocking up" form. One can "stock up" for one month or six months or a year on non-perishable items - canned soup, toilet paper, etc. That's good; right up until your stockpile is used up. And that's where the second form of "preparation" comes in. The politically correct name might be "sustainable living"; I'd call it old fashioned common sense and the ability to live off the land. Raising chickens for meat and eggs. Raising goats or cows for milk and butter and cheese. Raising abundant gardens and caning our own food rather than running to the store every day. Looking into some form of "renewable energy". I know that every resident of Jericho cannot do each thing I have mentioned, but I'd like you all to think about what you _can_ do. Miss Lisinski has prepared a flier that will be handed out at the end of the evening letting you know where you can contact us if you'd like more information. We'd like to arrange classes in gardening, canning, or whatever the need seems to be by matching up the people with knowledge and experience with those that want to learn. Thank you for your kind attention and here is Miss Lisinski," E.J. concluded. There was scattered applause as like-minded folk showed their support.

"Good evening," Heather began with a smile, "I've already met a number of you, and I look forward to meeting more of you in the weeks to come. As Former Mayor Green mentioned, I was asked to do a risk-assessment of Jericho and bring you a list of ways the town might improve their Community Emergency Plan."

She flipped on the power-point program that was projected onto the side of a large white truck parked on the football field.

"In my research, I found that we are at minimal risk for earthquakes, floods and hurricanes here in Jericho. That's the good news."

Heather laughed, and so did the crowd.

"Of greater concern are tornados, economic collapse of the country, solar flares, a pandemic, an electromagnetic pulse that rendered electronics useless, and widespread nuclear attacks. In some of these scenarios, we would have a warning. Others, we would not. Some might only affect us in a minimal way, like the events of this week, while others might take out the whole town and leave us poor chances of survival. The best plan of preparation seems to be one of plan for the worst, hope for the best.

"Looking at our priority list, we should first consider water. From what I have learned, Jericho's water comes from wells dug into our own 'confined section' of the Ogallala aquifer, and it should be safe unless we were to receive a direct hit with a nuclear bomb. In that case, water would probably be the least of our worries. The water and fish in the Salina River and local streams would have to be evaluated based upon the type of disaster.

"Second on the list is food. That's pretty much individual responsibility, and that is why we're coming to you now, so that you all can have the opportunity to learn how to put food by and be prepared for any eventuality. We had neighbors that were Latter Day Saints (LDS) while I was living in Upstate New York in college. That is a group that knows how to prepare, and is very willing to help others learn. Is anyone LDS here in Jericho?"

There were murmurs and looking around, but no response from the crowd.

"That's OK, we'll see if we can locate a cannery in a nearby town. That would be a tremendous help. Third on the list is communications. We will need to be able to communicate with one another, and with the outside world. I will need to do more research before I can present a plan on that topic. Anyone with experience in that field is encouraged to contact the Mayor or myself if you would like to volunteer to help.

"Forth on the list is security. Again, it is dependent upon the situation. I would imagine most of you would feel comfortable defending your family and your property since this is a farming community and many of you hunt. Stocking up on ammo is recommended. A community reserve or security force might be a possibility - target practice once a month and getting to know one another better couldn't hurt. I understand there are a number of military veterans in Jericho. You will be invaluable to such a group.

"Fifth is medical. We are fortunate to have the Jericho Med Center. While it isn't a full-scale hospital, it has a number of the same capabilities. Medical is the same as the other categories. If the Med Center is able to stockpile supplies and medications, and they can successfully rotate them through before they expire, nothing is wasted, and we have another additional cushion of resources.

Finally, we should plan for the power grid to be gone indefinitely. I grew up in New Bern. I know that Kansas gets a lot of sunshine. Does anyone here have experience with solar energy?"

A few hands went up in the crowd.

"Excellent," said Heather with enthusiasm. "Please contact me, I have questions for you. Both solar and wind power are intermittent energy sources, so excess electricity is stored in rechargeable batteries for later use. They are actually complementary power sources; we might want to consider them both," she cast a thoughtful glance back toward Johnston, who nodded approvingly.

"Another source of energy here is the cider mill at the Surry Farm north of town on the Saline River. It is really an old-fashioned watermill, and could easily be converted so that it could grind wheat into flour, cut timber into lumber, and possibly crush sunflower seeds to make sunflower oil (which can be used in cooking and to make biodiesel). The Saline River could also potentially provide us with some form of hydroelectric power, but that will require a lot more research."

"This concludes my part of the presentation, thank you for your interest. Please contact me if you would like to lend a hand. Mayor Green is next with the final segment of the program tonight." Applause followed as Heather took her seat.

"Thank you, Miss Lisinski, for all of your research and organizational skills. It is my pleasure to work with you," Johnston said as Heather was seated. "Lastly, tonight, I want to reassure you that the local government is re-evaluating the Community Emergency Plan. It has been a few years since it has been revised, and a number of changes have taken place here in Jericho. Someone from the mayor's office will be contacting each household in the months to come and asking a few basic questions. Participation is voluntary, but it will help us plan for future emergencies. We need to know how many of you have your own basements and how many of you would need to come to the emergency shelters here in town. Knowing ahead of time where you would shelter will cut down on chaos. We need to know who might be willing to participate in a security force, and who might be willing to take classes and be a volunteer EMT or firefighter if there were a disaster. We'll have the whole thing put together in another few weeks. We'll start contacting households as we can and finish up after the holidays. As I said, it's completely voluntary, but will be of great assistance.

"That's all for tonight, folks. Thank you for your time, and have a safe trip home." Tonight, Johnston didn't ask for questions, he wanted the people to think things through and let the ideas sink in.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. The pictures are also borrowed.

**Author's Notes:** Here is another short chapter. The next one is longer and won't be up for a few days.

**For any that haven't heard, CBS and Netflix are in talks to create new episodes of Jericho! If you are interested in more information, come to the Facebook page Jericho Rising.**

**Chapter VII: Planning Ahead**

**December 10, 2001**

In the weeks and months that followed, things came together nicely for the "Planning Ahead" committee of Jericho. Turned out Mrs. McVeigh's oldest son Ron lived in California and worked for a solar power company. Because Jericho wanted to buy in volume, he was able to point them toward a good deal on enough solar panels to provide basic electricity for the core buildings of downtown Jericho. Paul Fisher, of Fisher's Hardware, had a son Larry who worked with a crew doing handyman jobs and electrical repair. He was contracted to install the panels. His cousin, Hank Dawes, who was a licensed electrician, was contracted to complete that portion of the job and tie the panels into the grid. The town was also able to take advantage of a state rebate program, making them wonder why they had not implemented the change years ago. Taking into account the lower cost of the panels and the rebate, the system would pay for itself in about 15 years.

When the townspeople learned of the personal tax credit and rebates available to them, as well as the low cost of buying in bulk, many were interested in installing solar panels on their homes, farms and ranches as well. Soon, many of the southerly-facing rooftops in Jericho were adorned with solar panels, and the "Planning Ahead" committee breathed a collective sigh of relief that one project was well under way. The solar-generated electricity would also be able to pump water from the wells around town, so actually two things could be crossed off their list.

In the meantime, Heather had located the nearest LDS cannery in Aurora, CO. Even though it was a 300 mile drive each direction, the group of 6 women had spent 3 hours at the cannery and brought home 1,200 #10 cans of wheat, oats, pinto beans and rice. They planned to return every few months when the weather warmed up in the spring to add sugar, dried milk, pasta, potato flakes, apple and carrot slices to their stores, as well to as get more of the basics.

Heather had made the trip with Annie McCall, Joanna McCall, Rachael Cale, Erin McCall, and Margaret Taylor. They had been crammed into the front of Wes McCall's king cab truck so they would have room in the back for all of the boxes of food on the trip home. They had laughed the entire trip, happy to be free of children and responsibilities for a day.

"It's a good thing we are all small," Heather giggled, "or we never would have fit into Wes' truck."

"I'm just glad he let us drive the truck, and agreed to watch the kids today," Joanna responded from the driver's seat, "_that_ doesn't happen very often."

"Will and Wes will have their hands full, with Bernadette teething again," Erin chimed in from the back seat. She and Heather were close in age and quickly becoming friends. Bernadette was almost a year old and would be walking any day. "Aunty Heather" was one of her favorite people.

"I wouldn't worry, the older kids can help. Plus Scout and E.J. are within yelling distance if things get really out of hand. They've each done their time babysitting, so I have no worries," Annie reassured them from the front passenger seat. She may have been 70 on her most recent birthday, but she was still perfectly healthy and the younger women looked to her for guidance. She was secretly pleased to have been invited along on this adventure.

"Sally is teething, too," Margaret continued, "but at least Jimmy is taking a half-day and picking her and Woody up at noon. If there aren't any major law enforcement issues in Jericho, that is," she giggled. In the five years he had been a Deputy Sheriff, Jimmy had complained about the lack of action in the town. Margaret was secretly grateful, not wanting him to be in danger.

"You're lucky he can do that," Rachael piped in. "With Grey Anderson in charge of scheduling at the salt mine these days, it's amazing if I see Shep before it gets dark in the evening. No common sense at all, that one."

The others nodded in agreement.

When Grey Anderson had arrived in Jericho 15 years earlier, after investing in the salt mine, he had created a tempest in a teapot with all of his ideas and demands. He had thrown his weight around and gotten an outside developer to put in _The Pines_, an upscale gated community on the east side of town. The developer had bought the old Watson farm from their out-of-state children before the-powers-that-be in Jericho realized what was going on. They constructed homes for Grey and his wife, the Carmichael family, the Stevens family, the Henthorn family, the Whaley family and a dozen others, but it was largely considered to be a boondoggle of Grey's making. The people of Jericho preferred individuality to McDonald's and Starbucks, quaint neighborhoods to gated communities. Johnston would have simply put his foot down, but he felt strongly that Grey was a citizen of the town, too, and had the right to his opinions. As the years passed, Johnston came to regret his relaxed stance on Grey Anderson. Ironically, Grey's wife divorced him and left Jericho shortly after they moved into their dream home.

The mention of Grey Anderson brought quiet to the group of women as they contemplated his recent shenanigans. Incessantly contrary, he debated the wisdom of converting the town to solar power, decried food storage as fear mongering, and refused to participate in any form of preparation. This did not stop him from showing up at each meeting and mocking everything that was being done. Fortunately, he was well known for his short attention span, and they were certain he would find something new to criticize shortly. The rest of the trip to Aurora was uneventful, and soon the women were laughing again, the topic of Grey forgotten.

Overall, Heather was pleased to be accepted by the McCall family as one of their own. She was also gratified with the way the community had responded to the "Planning Ahead" committee, and the progress they were already making. They had agreed to take a break from Thanksgiving until after the New Year to spend time with their families, and address the rest of the list with renewed effort in January.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. The pictures are also borrowed.

**Chapter XI: Christmas at Green Ranch**

**Late December, 2001**

Christmas was just around the corner, and Heather would be celebrating at the Green Ranch. As usual, out-of-town members of the Green family and the McCall family would be arriving the week before Christmas and staying until after the first of the year. Heather was a little apprehensive about meeting the rest of the family, wondering if they would accept her. She needn't have worried.

Johnston's twin brother Emmett arrived on the 15th, the court system in Kansas City having closed for the holidays.

"One of the benefits of being a judge," he had said, his eyes twinkling, "They give me time off for good behavior."

Heather thought Emmett was like a cross between E.J. and Johnston. He looked and sounded like a clean-shaven Johnston, but had E.J.'s charm and humor. He and Heather hit it off immediately, and Heather wondered to herself why he had never married.

Joanna, Erin and Heather had given the ranch house a thorough cleaning that day in anticipation of the arrival of the rest of the family. Emmett helped E.J. and Heather decorate in the evening. While they worked, they told Emmett about the "Planning Ahead" committee and the progress they had made to date. Emmett was in full agreement with their plans.

"If something big happens, save a seat for me. I sure don't want to be stuck in Kansas City at the end of the world. I'd much rather be here with family and friends who I know will have my back. The big city is no place to be at a time like that. How can I contribute?" He asked earnestly.

E.J. stopped stringing lights on the tree and looked thoughtful.

"Of course you're always welcome here at the ranch, son. I guess we'd better take a survey while everyone's here for the holidays and see who else wants in. We can shuffle things around until everyone fits. Heather, here, is looking into a bulk order of freeze-dried food. We had such good fortune when we ordered the solar panels in volume; we thought we'd try the same plan for food. Maybe you could help her out there. It just never occurred to me that people would be coming from outside Jericho - hadn't gotten that far in my thought process yet, I guess."

E.J. looked a bit deflated, but Heather broke into his reverie with her usual cheerfulness: "E.J., _you're_ the reason we're doing any of this. It would never have occurred to me to initiate this project, and it probably wouldn't have occurred to anyone else in town. Hey, they will soon be writing articles about how prepared the little town of Jericho, Kansas is!"

"No!" E.J. exploded, "we don't want anyone else to know about our preparations. OPSEC, Heather. Operational Security. If something does run amuck, we don't need the rest of Kansas coming here for our supplies. We do need to mention OPSEC at the next town meeting."

"Oh, O.K." replied Heather, surprised at his vehemence. "You're right. See, I wouldn't have thought of that, either."

Emmett chuckled at them from the other side of the Christmas tree. "O.K., kids, will you _try_ and get along?"

E.J. and Heather chuckled, too, realizing that they were on the same side, after all. "Yes, Dad," they said in unison, then laughed all the harder.

Their laughter was broken up by the ringing of the phone. Heather had stepped toward the kitchen to take a sip of her hot spiced cider, so she answered it.

"Merry Christmas, Green Ranch," Heather said in a perky voice.

"So, we meet again," came the sultry reply.

"Jake?" Heather asked curiously.

"Yes. I wondered if you would have time tonight to set up a videoconference for Grandpa and me," he replied.

"Sure," said Heather, "I just need to get my laptop set up in his office. It's upstairs, give me a few minutes." They exchanged account information and hung up.

She turned to E.J. and filled him in. They had been expecting this call since September, but knew Jake had spoken with Gail several times since then when he had called from yet more foreign countries. They had made jokes about his passport filling up, but Heather knew E.J. was concerned.

By the time she got everything plugged in and made the connection with Jake, Heather's cheeks were rosy from the dash up the stairs and the warmth of the fire. Her chin-length chestnut hair, usually neat and tidy, was a bit tousled. Sitting at E.J.'s desk to make sure everything was working; Heather was amused at the look of surprise on Jake's face.

"Why, I was expecting someone old," he finally stammered, "and frumpy."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Jake Green," Heather responded with a laugh. "Here is your Grandfather now," she said as she moved out of the range of the web camera and E.J. sat down in his chair.

Heather returned to the living room where Emmett was sipping his cider.

"So what is Jake up to now?" Emmett asked Heather as she settled onto the couch.

"I don't know," Heather responded, not knowing who knew exactly what about Jake's secret life as in the FBI and the military.

"That boy will come to no good end if he doesn't straighten out his ways," Emmett finally said, "I'm sorry he has put Gail and Johnston through so much."

Although she had not even met him, Heather found herself wanting to defend Jake. She decided feigning ignorance was the best approach and hummed sympathetically. Soon they returned to their tree-decorating responsibilities.

It was late by the time E.J. was done speaking with Jake, and Heather didn't have time to speak with him privately. The next day was busy with the arrival of the Brady family - E.J.'s youngest daughter Sharon, her husband Bob, and their 16yo daughter Olivia. Bob worked on Wall Street and the family lived in a "fancy skyscraper" in the city, according to E.J. He said Sharon was the Green child who had grown farthest away from her humble Jericho upbringing. She had left town when she was 18 to study fashion design in New York and only ever returned for Christmas celebrations.

"I don't even know why they come home for Christmas anymore," E.J. was saying while they waited for the charter flight to arrive from Denver at the Jericho Municipal Air Field. "Olivia is just about grown, and they all spend every visit talking on the phone to the people they see every day at home anyway. And complaining about the "backwater ways" of Jericho. They should just stay in New York if they aren't going to be happy here."

"Now, Dad, at least they are making the effort," came Emmett's conciliatory response. This wasn't a new conversation for the Green family.

"I know, and I'll behave," grumbled E.J. begrudgingly, "it just makes me sad that they disrupt everyone else's holiday."

The plane was taxiing toward the building, so the conversation ended there. E.J. explained to Heather that the charter service was yet another of Grey Anderson's boondoggles, attempting to convince businessmen from Denver to move to Jericho and commute to work. A few had taken him up on his plan - and coincidentally bought homes in _The Pines_ - but not enough to change the demographics of Jericho. The benefits of the scheme were that the air field facilities had been refurbished, and it was much easier to fly directly into and out of Jericho now.

Once their guests had been retrieved, the group headed back to the ranch. E.J. was on his best behavior to avoid offending. Bob was talking on his cell phone. Sharon had pulled out her laptop, even though the trip was short. Olivia was texting. _The joys of the electronic age_, Heather thought to herself.

Carolyn and Glen Davis drove in from Nebraska the following day to stay at the bunk house. Their children were grown and married; none would be accompanying them this year. A few days later, Stuart and Brenda McCall arrived from Denver with their children Clancy and Tyler.

"There's another group that should have just stayed home," E.J. said to Heather under his breath as they stood at the kitchen sink washing up breakfast dishes and watching the events unfold through the window. "They have a big home in a swanky neighborhood in Denver, and only deign to grace us with their presence at the holidays, griping the whole time. Ah, well, I guess they can't all be as perfect as us, can they" he asked Heather with a wicked grin.

Heather giggled in response. E.J. had been spot on with his assessment of Sharon and her family. They had been "plugged in" their entire stay thus far. Fortunately, minimal complaining had occurred. She had enjoyed getting to know Carolyn and Glen a bit on her occasional trips over to the bunk house.

E.J.'s middle daughter Laura and her husband Mark arrived later that day from Kansas City where he taught chemistry at the University of Kansas and she worked as a nurse. Their daughter Michelle was a student at UK and their son Curtis was in high school. They were warm and friendly, fitting in with the Green family tradition.

E.J.'s oldest daughter Susan and her husband Martin lived in Cedar Brook, a small farming town just half an hour to the south of Jericho, and would only be coming up for specific events. Martin was Cedar Brook's sheriff, and didn't like to be gone for extended periods. Susan was a family practice doctor and had difficulties finding someone to cover her practice, especially over the holidays. Their grown children and grandchild would be coming and going as they were able. Heather had met them all briefly when they had been in town earlier in the year.

Mostly, during the Green Ranch Christmas Week celebrations, everyone enjoyed good food and good company, catching up on the past year over the mountains of food that was prepared mainly in the bunk house kitchen. The main events were the pot-luck Christmas Eve meal at the bunkhouse which everyone attended, the Christmas Eve service at church, and Christmas Day, where everyone ate leftovers and exchanges presents with their individual families.

Heather was getting used to the noise and the massive number of people, after growing up in a small family. The Christmas Eve meal started in the afternoon so everyone could eat at leisure and still have time to go to the 8pm church service. Like the Friday evening gatherings, there were musicians playing in one corner. They had been playing Christmas music all month for the various dinners and get-togethers. The main floor of the bunk house was otherwise packed with happy, chattering people who filled their plates at the counter and found seats at the tables or around the great room as they could. Heather noticed several of her students sitting at the kids table in a corner of the kitchen and joined them. Nick Cale was trying to help his brother Lucas cut his turkey. Tess and Julie McCall were arguing over who could eat more Christmas cookies. Megan Young was making pictures with her mashed potatoes and gravy. Heather had felt somewhat useless due to her lack of cooking skills, and thought refereeing the small fry would be a good contribution to the event. Rachael and Madelyn soon came around taking pictures for their scrapbooks and found Heather in her element, telling the children a story while they sat attentively eating their dinner.

"We have got to get you married so you can have kids of your own," Madelyn started in. She was Megan's mother and was holding 6 month-old Kirby on her hip. Heather knew Madelyn because she taught 4th grade in the schoolroom next to Heather's.

"We'll have to teach her to cook first," Rachael chimed in, "or her family will starve and all of our hard work will have been for nothing."

"Hey!" Heather defended herself. "I can bake, that's important. Besides, can I just find a nice guy and enjoy being married for five minutes before you start loading me down with kids? I'll just enjoy your kids for now."

They all laughed in agreement and the two moms went on their way. Gail Green, sitting nearby, observed the tableau and wished silently for grandchildren of her own one day.

Soon everyone was full and the dishes were returned to the kitchen where a different crew would see to them later. Frank and Lorraine Young left first to get the church on Main Street open and warming for the congregation. Various groups piled into vehicles and left shortly thereafter, anxious to get seats at the most popular event of the year for Jericho's Main Street Presbyterian Church. Christmas carols would be sung until the service began at 8pm, when there would standing room only. Heather had volunteered to stay at home with the youngest members of the group but their mothers had insisted that _everybody_ went to the service.

Indeed, the church was filling up quickly by the time E.J., Heather and Emmett arrived just past 7:30. They slipped into their place next to Johnston and Gail to the opening strains of _O Little Town of Bethlehem _followed by many other favorite hymns. Heather glanced around at the extra chairs set up in the aisles and the people lining the walls and couldn't help but wonder in the fire marshal attended one of the other churches in town; he surely wouldn't approve of this crowd.

Reverend Young gave a brief but stirring traditional message from Luke 2. A few more hymns were sung, and the service was dismissed with a prayer for the entire flock to have a Blessed Christmas, safe journeys home, and return to Jericho the following year. Heather was surprised that no one seemed in a hurry to vacate the building. The out-of-town Greens and McCalls were contentedly chatting with folks they had grown up with and probably hadn't seen since last Christmas. Even the teenagers, who had grown up elsewhere, seemed to be finding friends to visit with. Clancy McCall was half-signing, half talking with Stanley's little sister Bonnie and even Olivia Brady had unplugged long enough to participate in the conversation. Lauren Reed, visiting overnight from Cedar Brook, had taken her new baby and sought out Emily Prowse to discuss teaching approaches. Tyler McCall was obviously comparing basketball maneuvers with one of the Jackson grandsons and several other adolescent boys. Heather sat back in her pew, content to watch the goings-on and listen to the happy clamor. Gail soon joined her and asked how she was enjoying the Christmas celebrations at Green Ranch.

"I came from a big, boisterous Irish family, and it was still a lot for me to get used to," Gail nodded sympathetically when Heather raised her eyebrows at the question. "You are welcome to come to the house, you know, if you need a little peace and quiet."

"Thank you," replied Heather with an appreciative smile, "I think it should be winding down from here, but I'll keep your offer in mind. I love being around people, but sometimes I just need to collect my wits. I feel like I need for school to start back up so I can get back to my kids and my quiet life."

"We're just glad you love the kids so much," Gail said, putting an arm across Heather's shoulders and giving her a hug. "We're glad to have you here in Jericho, and we hope that you're happy. Are you doing alright, living at the ranch and all? We've worked together on the "Planning Ahead" project, but you and I really haven't had much time to talk."

"Oh, yes," Heather said quickly. "E.J. is an absolute hoot, and the folks from the bunk house have made me feel like family, too. I never had this kind of reinforcement growing up, so it is a nice change."

"That's good," responded Gail, and they sat in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"You really surprised Jake," Gail said a few minutes later with a laugh. "He called this morning to wish me a Merry Christmas. He asked why I hadn't mentioned how young and cute you were."

"I guess I have an 'old, frumpy' voice," Heather said with a laugh.

"No, Dear, I think that you are just wise beyond your years. And I think Jake is used to girls who are young and frivolous."

Heather shrugged her shoulders like she wasn't convinced, and they lapsed back into silence. Soon the children began to grow weary and the visiting groups broke up and headed for home. E.J. and Emmett came to collect Heather, and Gail went off in search of Johnston. They knew the next day would be another busy one.

The Green family congregated at the ranch house by 10am Christmas morning. There weren't any little children to be up at the crack of dawn clamoring over presents, now that the grandchildren were in their late teens, and the only great-grandchild thus far was four-month old Ian. Twenty-one people were there, by Heather's count. She was the only non-Green, and Jake was the only missing Green family member. They all enjoyed coffee and tea, took the requisite family pictures, and were prepared to enjoy the feast of left-overs by just after noon.

After the dishes had been cleared and the pie eaten, E.J. asked for the attention of the group and outlined the decisions of Jericho after the September 11 attacks and the progress of the "Planning Ahead" committee.

Emmett broke in when E.J. paused to take a breath and added that he thought it was a great idea and wanted to be involved in the planning since he certainly didn't want to be trapped with masses of panicked people in Kansas City.

"At least I want to have a place to come to, if we don't have any warning. My condo serves my needs perfectly now, but it has limited space. Furthermore, I don't want to have to spend the end of the world by myself," he ended with a chuckle.

Johnston took up the narration, "The reason we're telling you all this is to give you the option of being involved. When Dad told Emmett, he was surprised that Emmett wanted in. So was I. I guess I figured everyone would want to shelter in place and make their own arrangements. Emmett brings up a good point about being away from the large population centers, however. What do you all think?"

Susan and Martin Logan exchanged a glance followed by a brief nod before Martin started to speak. "I think it's a good idea. We've been thinking about storing more food, but it sounds like you have already done the research. Maybe you could help Cedar Brook get started with the same kind of project? Since our towns are so close, we could help each other with security, if it ever came to that. Plus, we have an Amish community on the outskirts of town. I'll bet they would be willing to teach us some of the skills they are so good with; canning food, sewing, making soap and candles." Susan was nodding in agreement, having become friends with several of the Amish ladies.

Johnston was pleased with this response and agreed to meet with Cedar Brook in January. He turned to the Nortons, who lived across town from Emmett in Kansas City.

"I tend to agree with Emmett," Mark began. "The UK is a mob scene during the first week of the semester; I would hate to see it during a crisis."

"The UK Med Center is understaffed and over populated on the best of days." Laura put in. "If I stayed there it would make no difference, but I might be able to help by staffing the clinic here. Count us in and please let us know what we can do to help."

Johnston smiled appreciatively at the enthusiasm of the two couples who had spoken. Next, he turned to the Bradys, who had been looking askance since the conversation began.

"Are you serious?" Sharon asked, her tone a cross between disbelief and anger. "This is the most ridiculous thing you all have come up with yet. Why do you think we have FEMA and all of the other government agencies we pay good tax money for? They took care of things after the Twin Towers in September and will continue to take care of whatever else comes along. I hear they are talking about creating a Department of Homeland Security to prevent this kind of thing from happening again, anyway. We need to follow their directions, store 3 days of food and water to use until they can get to us, and just stay calm. It's this kind of hysteria that made me want to leave Jericho and not come back. _We're_ not spending good money on powdered food that no one will ever eat. Furthermore, it shows a lack of faith. God will provide."

"And God helps those that helps themselves," E.J. shot back with more bitterness than Heather had seen him demonstrate in the four months of their friendship. "You can come or you can go. We're just offering you an opportunity. We don't need all of the editorializing."

Emmett, seeking to calm the situation, broke in. "That's your opinion, Sharon, and we're each entitled to our own opinion. We won't bring the topic up again, alright? Just be aware of what we're doing. Know that we all love you, and will save a place for you if you need it."

"Don't bother, we'll be fine. We're going out for a walk." And with that, Sharon and Bob exited the dining room of the ranch house. Olivia, texting and listening to her MP3 player in the great room, was oblivious to the exchange.

The rest of the group sat silently for a moment before Johnston finally broke the quiet.

"That went well," he said sarcastically.

"Pretty much how we might have predicted," replied Susan cynically. "Sharon never did have a whole lot of common sense, and I think living in the city has sucked out what little she had to start with. We don't have the luxury of waiting on FEMA here in the country. We need to be self-reliant like our ancestors were."

"How do you think this conversation is going over at the bunk house?" Emmett asked.

"Well, let's see," E.J. responded, "I wouldn't be surprised if Glen and Carolyn wanted to try to set something like this up in Galloway, Nebraska. They might want to come here, but they have an awfully big family now. It would probably easier for them if they bunkered down there. I'm guessing Stuart and Brenda will think we're crazy, much like Bob and Laura. One of the side effects of living in the big city, I'm afraid."

"Well," said Gail, finally added her opinion to the mix, "the best we can do is educate people and give them the choice. It's still a free country."

Talk turned to more general topics after that as fresh coffee was served and a few helped themselves to an additional piece of pie.

Heather helped Gail and Susan with the dishes and asked about the Amish ladies. She wanted her students to be able to watch the candle-making class and maybe have a field trip to an Amish farm if it were permitted. She had no idea such a resource was so close at hand. Her head was already spinning about the list she would need to present to the "Planning Ahead" committee the following week.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I still do not own Jericho or any of the characters from the show. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. The pictures of original characters and places are also borrowed. They can be found at my Live Journal account (URL located in my profile; I noticed it got zapped when I tried to post in in a chapter.)

**Author's Note:** If anyone out there reading this would like to leave a response, I would love to hear your thoughts. It would make me feel less like I'm just here talking to myself ;-). This is a shorter chapter; the next one is also short and will be up in a few days if there is any interest.

**Chapter IX: A New Year**

**January 3-4, 2001**

Eventually, the last of the out-of-towners left and the last of the Christmas decorations were put away. E.J. and Heather were sitting in front of the fire enjoying cups of hot chocolate.

"Our Jake has himself in a bad way," E.J. began reflectively. "Both Jonah and Jake knew Mitchell Cafferty was no good, and Jake was trying to get him sent to another parole location. I guess Jonah's place is somewhere along the lines of a low-risk witness protection set-up. The feds send ex-cons there who have turned in other criminals, but don't need the full change of identity routine; just an out of the way place to get started again. Mitchell already had a bad reputation and no one else wanted to take him, so Jake was stuck. Mitchell was supposed to make that delivery with another ex-con, but Chris Prowse switched shifts at the last minute without Jonah's knowledge, and with fatal results. Jonah was furious with Jake, blaming him for not getting rid of Mitchell sooner. Emily, not knowing any of the details, blamed both Jonah and Jake. Jake, who loved Chris like a little brother, blames himself and says he can't face either Jonah or Emily again.

"I tried to tell him that there's only so much one person can do. That life doesn't work on a balance sheet. But until he's ready to forgive himself, I don't think there's anything any of the rest of us can do. He had himself transferred to the international side of the FBI, looking into counterterrorism in South America. After September 11, they sent him to the Middle East. I think he just needs to get this out of his system."

Heather had been listening quietly to E.J. as the story unfolded, feeling helpless that she couldn't think of anything useful to say.

"E.J., I'm so sorry," she finally began. "I hope Jake will come around and realize that some things are just out of our control."

"Yes, I hope so, too." E.J. replied. "At least I finally know what is going on. It's easier to deal with the truth than with a mystery. I just wish he would tell his parents that he is on the _right_ side of the law so they wouldn't worry so much. He says he's thinking about it. He so wanted Johnston to be proud of him. He had planned to tell them everything when he received his first big promotion in the Bureau last summer, but this fiasco came up first, and he has sworn me to secrecy. I guess it will all come out in the wash. I did tell him about our "Planning Ahead" committee, so he knows he'll have a safe place to land if anything bad happens."

The two sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they watched fire burn down.

Late the next afternoon, E.J. and Heather attended the January meeting of the "Planning Ahead" committee. Several new members had joined since its inception. Johnston's administrative assistant and chief organizer Marian Frederickson had been drafted to keep notes and offer input since she was familiar with every member of the community from various interactions over the years. Ralph McVeigh volunteered to oversee the formation of the community reserve since he was a retired Army officer. He had brought with him Walt Jackson, retired sheriff of Jericho and Vietnam veteran, who had volunteered to help with training. As various additional members of the community entered town hall, Johnston decided to open up the large meeting room, gratified at the growing community interest.

"Let's get started, folks," Johnston began the meeting as everyone found seats in the large room. He had listed the priorities on the whiteboard behind him to keep the meeting on track. "The topic of water has been addressed. Miss Lisinski, will you please speak to the group about food."

Heather, who had been sitting in the front row, rose and walked to the podium. "With your permission, Mayor Green, I am covering both the topics of food and energy. Some overlap has developed, so I would like to cover both topics at the same time, if I might."

With Johnston's approval, Heather continued.

"Some of you may be aware that we located a LDS cannery in Aurora, Colorado. Six of us made the first trip that took about 14 hours from start to finish. We brought home 1,200 cans of food that have a 30 year shelf-life - that's about 6,000 days of adult rations. At a cost of about a dollar per day, the price can't be beat, but I don't think anyone wants to exist for long on beans and rice alone, so we will need to diversify. We also got oats and some wheat on this trip. We won't need to buy wheat from them again as some of our local farmers grow it and store it in the grain elevator down near Cedar Brook. They have a mill there as well that we will have access to, so we will not have to worry about storing as much flour as the recommendations list.

"We hope to make the next trip in February or March, weather permitting. We will stock up on sugar, dried milk, pasta, potato flakes, apple and carrot slices on that trip. This load will increase our ration days only about 2,000 overall, but it will make meals much more interesting and nutritious.

"I also plan to look into some of the dehydrated and dried food suppliers online to order dried eggs, dried butter, dehydrated cheese and peanut butter for cooking. I know we can usually get eggs, butter and cheese from our farms, but it's a good idea to have two sources for each item on the list if we can. When you combine all of this with fruits and vegetables from the farms and gardens, I think we'll do OK. This amount of food will feed the 40 folks at Green Ranch for about 6 months. I will be happy to meet with each family and share what I've learned so far so all of you can make similar arrangements. Operating as a group has worked out well for us, so I would recommend getting together with family or friends and neighbors. Apparently, cooking with stored food is quite different than cooking the food you use now, so practice is recommended. There are a number of simple recipes available, so find a variety of them that your family likes.

"And this brings up to the topic of electricity. As we discussed back in the fall, the solar panels provide enough electricity to keep the lights on and run small appliances, but major appliances like stoves, water heaters and washing machines use more energy than the solar panels can supply. We have discussed augmenting with wind turbines. I ran into Doctor Peterson this week and found out that his nephew Ted Lewis still lives in New Bern. I will contact him to see if they are interested in helping us make some turbines at the old brake factory. I know at least part of the factory isn't being used for brakes any more.

"Wind power will be good for the winter months, when the sun is lower in the sky, and will add to the overall amount of energy we can store in the batteries. But even these two sources combined will not allow us to live like we do today. Traditional generators will have to be run on gas or propane to power the major appliances. At the larger farms like the Richmond's and the Green's, it shouldn't be a problem to power up the generator for a few hours every day to cook one hot meal, run a load of laundry that is harder to wash by hand and let a couple of people get hot showers. But for households with only a few people living in them, that use of fuel doesn't make much sense.

"For that reason, I would like to propose that the school be equipped to provide one hot meal per day for the folks living in town and in smaller households. Those folks could also shower in the gym. For that matter, especially during the winter, anyone living alone could be encouraged to move into one of the classrooms that could be set up like a dormitory. It's a wiser use of resources to heat a few classrooms and the cafeteria than several dozen individual houses.

"I had a lesson in the history of Jericho this week that I will share briefly here for those of you that may not know or remember. The building that houses the Old Jericho Museum was built in the 1880's, shortly after the town was established. On Sundays, it was used as a church. The rest of the week, it was used as a classroom. It was the first school in Jericho, a one-room schoolhouse for all grades. By 1900, there were too many kids in Jericho to fit into one room, so the town built what is now the elementary school building next to the museum. First through third grades were still taught in the old building, the rest in the fancy new building that had a full basement in case of a tornado, a full cafeteria, and modest boys and girls shower facilities. It was state-of-the-art for the time period. The building with the basketball gym/auditorium, administrative offices and the middle school classes were added in 1920, and the building with the high school classrooms was added in the 1938. All of this to say that the elementary school building is very sturdy, and is self-sufficient. It can be heated by coal with the old-fashioned furnace that is still in good working condition, just not used anymore because electricity from the grid became easier. Coal is mined in eastern Kansas, western Colorado and central Nebraska. None is particularly quick or close, but the school janitor said a truck used to deliver enough for the winter each fall, so maybe we could consider placing an order?"

Heather glanced quickly at her notes. "I think that concludes my topics. Thank you for your attention."

She returned quickly to her seat, not taking questions because she thought she had already gone over her time limit. E.J. gave her a grin and the "thumbs up" sign as she sat down.

Johnston returned to the podium. "Thank you, Miss Lisinski. How about communications? Any folks with radio experience out there?"

Adam Montgomery and Arnold Frederickson stood up at the same time, then looked at each other and laughed.

"I had some radio experience back in World War II, and wouldn't mind doing some research," Adam started.

"Same here, but in Desert Storm," Arnold added. "I was always fascinated in electronics as a kid, so it should be interesting."

"Sounds like we have a team," Johnston said happily. "May I ask you a favor? Will you please involve Oliver Wilson in your work? He really isn't much for coming to town meetings like this, but he used to be an electronics whiz when we were in school. I think he would enjoy helping, and it might be a good way to draw him back into the community. He spends way too much time alone at that garage off Route 160. Ralph?" Johnston returned to his seat.

Ralph McVeigh approached the podium. "I think I'm next with security. We are currently taking sign-ups for the community reserve force. I have agreed to spearhead this effort and Walt Jackson has agreed to help with training. Let's get the word out so everyone that wants to can participate. We will start training as soon as the weather warms up a little. I'm really looking forward to getting out there again."

Ralph returned to his seat as April Green approached the podium.

"I think I'm last on the list of basic needs topics with medical. The Med Center has been given permission from the Fillmore County Hospital District (FCHD) to place orders early until we have lain by an adequate amount of supplies like dressings, disposable suture kits, ace wraps, and so on. Once we have done that, they will speak with us about initiating the same plan for pharmaceuticals.

"I would recommend you all do the same with the medical supplies you keep at home. Beef up your first aid kits. Take one of the First Aid classes we offer at the Med Center so you can be prepared to treat simple things at home. Stock up on over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, ibuprofen, zantac, Benadryl, polysporin, solarcaine, multivitamins the next time you go to Costco. I have made fliers that are being sent out to each family with the monthly _The Jericho_ _Eagle_ publication. I hear that's how we will be disseminating information for now.

"Now, how many of you are interested in becoming volunteer EMT's?"

Ten hands went up.

"And firefighters?"

Seven additional hands went up. April quickly jotted down names.

"That's terrific! I've looked into the programs in Salina a little. You need to be certified as an EMT to do either job. They said if we can get a group of at least 40, an instructor would come here to Jericho to teach the classes twice a week for the semester, so talk with your friends. We will be able to use EMT's as volunteers in the clinic, as well, so if some of you aren't interested in field work but would still like to help, that might be an option. I thought fall would be better than spring since there is less to do on the farms?"

Heads nodded around the room.

"Good. I will be contacting you about applications and requirements."

April returned to her seat and E.J. came to the podium.

"I asked to speak to you for a few minutes about OPSEC. Who here knows what that means?"

A few hands went up - mostly the veterans.

"Operational security. If _The Catastrophe_ happens, we sure don't want a bunch of strangers coming to Jericho and taking all of the food and supplies we worked hard to put together. That's why we have a security force. But we can prevent the problem altogether by being very careful who we tell about what we're doing. We don't need _Good Morning America_ or _National Geographic_ doing special segments about our preparations. Maybe the fact that we're a "Green" town - no pun intended - but no one needs to know about the rest of it. As Johnston will tell you in a minute, we have stumbled across the opportunity to form some partnerships, so to speak, with some near-by towns that are like-minded and want to set up similar projects. This will benefit Jericho in the long run, catastrophe or not. But we do need to approach things differently in the future if we plan to contact additional towns. New Bern, for example, can be contacted about the "renewable energy" matter, and can be brought up to speed on the rest later if it seems like they would work well with what we have going. Does everyone understand what I'm saying?"

Heads nodded.

"Good," said E.J. as he returned to his seat and Johnston walked to the podium.

"As my Dad mentioned, the topic came up over the holidays, and the neighboring towns of Cedar Brook, Kansas and Galloway, Nebraska would like to initiate projects like we have here. Cedar Brook is close enough to provide mutual aid security-wise, and they have already volunteered the use of their grain elevator and mill in exchange for consulting on the project. Galloway is further - 75 miles away instead of 30, but it can't hurt to have likeminded folks getting prepared and being part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

"OK, I think this concludes our January meeting. We'll meet again formally the first Friday of February; feel free to come see me sooner if you have any questions. Thank you all for your hard work on this project!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the characters that appeared on the show. I am growing rather fond of my original characters, however.

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews! Now I don't feel like I'm talking to myself anymore. To "Walkzlone" ~ I can't PM you since you don't have an account, so I will answer here. Unfortunately, I cannot post the family tree on FanFiction ~ I have tried, it just won't work. Only certain formats can be posted. I am in the process of adding pictures to it, and then perhaps I can post it at my Live Journal site. I'll let you all know when I post the next chapter. In the meantime, I could e-mail it to anyone who is interested, but it required having Microsoft Excel loaded on your computer. I'm bummed, because it is turning out to be really cool, but I can't figure out a good way to share it. Anywho, here is the next short chapter.

**Chapter X Spring at the Ranch**

**March, 2002**

Heather came downstairs for breakfast on the first Saturday morning in March but was surprised to find the kitchen dark and cold. E.J. usually had the kitchen warm and the water boiling for her tea by the time she came down, so she went to his room to check on him. His door was open and his bed made, so he had gotten up OK. She poked her head out the back door and noticed several people standing around the open barn doors. When she went out, she could see E.J. speaking with Wes McCall and several of the ranch hands. Apparently Wes had been up most of the might watching one of the prize mares labor, and finally decided to call Doc Taylor early in the morning when the mare appeared to be worn out but the foal had not arrived. Doc Taylor came walking out of the barn wiping his arms on a towel.

"That was a tough one. I tell you, Jericho needs to find a new vet because I'm getting too old to be making all of these spring farm calls," Cyrus Taylor said in a cantankerous voice.

"Sure, Doc, We'll see about it. Now how is my mare?" E.J. asked anxiously.

"She's resting comfortably, and her colt is a beaut," Cyrus replied cheerfully. "He'll train up nicely and bring you a good price, E.J."

"That's what I want to hear," E.J. replied contentedly, patting the vet on the back. "Drinks are on me," he said as he led the way toward the ranch house.

Heather stepped into the barn to see the new colt standing on wobbly legs next to his mother, and then she hurried after E.J. into the house. Doc Taylor had stepped into the restroom to clean up. Heather went to the kitchen to make herself tea and toast before joining the men in E.J.'s study. She slipped into a chair by the door, curious to hear the conversation, but not clear on whether she was welcome in this man's world. They were just discussing the above average birth rate of farm animals this spring, so she sat quietly eating her toast. When there was a lull in the conversation, Heather felt comfortable asking the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since Doc Taylor had mentioned finding a new vet.

"I spoke with my college roommate this week. Her husband will graduate from vet med school at UC Davis in June and would love to return to the mid-west. Hope and Gilbert would be a great fit for Jericho. Would you like me to have them contact you?" She concluded breathlessly.

She was taken aback when both men threw back their heads and laughed.

"Doc has been saying that every spring for 20 years," E.J. began, still laughing.

"You know, E.J. she might be on to something," replied Cyrus thoughtfully. "This might be the opportunity I've been looking for. Since I lost Edna 2 years ago, I just don't have it in me to work as hard as I used to. Yes, please have them give me a call," he said. "I don't believe we've formally met. Cyrus Taylor," he declared, holding out his hand.

"Heather Lisinski," she said, shaking his hand and pulling her chair toward the desk.

"Oh, I know who you are," Cyrus said with a laugh. "I think all of Jericho knows who you are by now. Now tell me about your friends."

"Well, Hope grew up in Michigan and Gilbert in Ohio," Heather started. "We all met at college in upstate New York. Hope and I were roommates freshman and sophomore years, Gilbert was two years older than us. He convinced Hope to marry him and move to California when he was accepted to UC Davis for vet med school. She got her undergraduate degree in plant sciences, and will complete her master's degree in applied plant biotechnology - making alternative medicines and day-to-day things from plants. Probably a good person to have around if _The Catastrophe_ happens," Heather said with a chuckle, using the term they all had adopted to describe whatever it was they were preparing for. "She was telling me about her garden. From the sound of it, she can grow things on cement. She knows all about apiculture, too," she said, looking over at E.J. with a bright smile.

"Well, it sounds like we need to meet your friends," replied Cyrus, falling for Heather's charm like many older men did.

"Maybe they can come for a visit over Easter vacation in a few weeks. I'll see if I can get them on the phone," and with that, Heather fairly bounced out of the room.

"She certainly has a lot of energy," Cyrus observed.

"Yes, that she does," E.J. agreed, as they resumed their conversation about horses.

Heather returned shortly with the news that Hope and Gil Bennett were available to visit later that month. She was overjoyed with the prospect of having her friends nearby again.

"Tell this young man it will be a working vacation for him," Cyrus called after Heather as she left the room again. "I won't have time to sit around and make nice, he can come along with me on farm calls and work clinic hours."

"I'll tell them," Heather called back as she continued down the hall, the men chuckling at her enthusiasm.

Later that afternoon, Heather sat with E.J. on the back deck drinking hot tea and watching the sun set over the pond. Heather was still excited about the visit of her friends in a few weeks.

"You know," E.J. said thoughtfully, "the Hendersons have retired to Florida and their place is empty just down Route 6. I don't know what your friends interested in, but they might like to look at that property. It isn't very big - maybe 50 acres, but the house is in decent shape if it had a fresh coat of paint, and there is a barn."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Heather replied. "I will mention it to them. I'm sure they would rather live on a farm than in town."

"So, how do you think the "Planning Ahead" meeting went yesterday?" E.J. asked. They hadn't had a chance to discuss it because they had gone to the Friday evening pot-luck at the bunk house and then straight to bed.

"I think it went well, Heather said reflectively. "I wish more people were getting serious about storing food, but I guess that will come. I guess you know Rachael and Joanna have been on the war path about teaching me to cook," she said with a bemused glance at E.J.

"So I have heard," He replied affably. "Probably ought to take them up on their offer. It's a good skill to have. I thought Eric's idea about having a "Light's Out Jericho" disaster drill weekend was a great idea," he said, carefully changing the subject.

"Yes," Heather agreed enthusiastically. "I like his idea of having it in September to commemorate the terror attacks, but it is such a busy time with school beginning and all. Maybe the weekend of August 9-11 would work. Someone's always going to be gone on vacation, but it can't be helped. Having a dry run will help us know where we stand and what we need to work on."

"The volunteer numbers were good also," continued E.J. "Over 500 people want to practice with the community reserve, around 60 want to be firefighters, and 75 want to be EMT's. That's a lot more than I expected. Even if some of them change their minds, we're still in good shape. Sending out updates in _The Jericho_ _Eagle _sure was a good idea, if I do say so myself," he concluded with a chuckle.

"I'm kind of looking forward to driving over to New Bern next week to speak with Ted Lewis and the administrator of the brake factory. I'm glad Mr. Carmichael and Eric will be going with me to present the wind turbine plans. Eric can keep an eye on the legal end of things, and, even though Mr. Carmichael is be a geotechnical engineer, but he will still know the basics of how wind turbines work," Heather commented.

"Yes, they can gauge how the folks from New Bern are reacting to the conversation, too, while you are speaking. I thought Adam and Arnold did a great job researching radios," he continued, changing the subject again. "Makes sense that the town should have a HAM radio to communicate with the folks outside Jericho ~ literally the rest of the world, if we can get it set up right, and use CB-like two-way radios for communication around town. I hear they have a range of 1-5 miles. All those electronics would be susceptible to an EMP, though, wouldn't they? We need to mention that the next time we see them. Back in the old days, before we had a phone here at the ranch, they used to sound the tornado alert siren if there was trouble. If the weather was stormy, we took shelter. If it was clear, we knew something else was going on and someone would go into town to check it out. That's how we found out Pearl Harbor had been bombed and the United States was entering WWII."

It had grown cold and they decided to return to the house. The troubles of Jericho could wait for another day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the characters from the show, but the rest are all mine!

**Author's Note:** I was having difficulty loading pictures at the Live Journal site, but now they are now posted for chapters 8-10 if you have been following along there. I also scanned and loaded the family tree to that site (url in my profile), and the timeline thus far. It will be located after Chapter X and be labeled Timeline and Family Tree. Please let me know if you can access them, and if you find them helpful. The Family Tree is a work in progress, ever-changing. Blue type indicates characters mentioned on the show; black type are original characters. Pictures are borrowed and not my property.

**Chapter XI: Getting Ready**

**August, 2002**

By the time the disaster drill weekend approached in August, the folks of Jericho were feeling fairly confident about their preparation efforts. In addition to all of the regular spring and summer activities, they had been working on preparations for _The Catastrophe_ and for the disaster drill. They planned to simulate a tornado that missed Jericho, but took out the power grid in Rogue River and disrupted the flow of fuel and groceries into town. They had agreed to make things fairly simple this time, concentrating on loss of electricity. Additional drills might get more interesting.

The ladies had made several more trips to the Aurora, Colorado food bank, with representatives of different families going each time to stock up on supplies for their own households. Susan Logan, along with her daughter Lauren and daughter-in-law Amy had driven up from Cedar Brook for the second trip, following along in their own truck to get supplies for their town and learn the routine. They had borrowed walkie-talkies from the kids and left the microphones open so the laughter and joking had gone back and forth between both vehicles. Gail Green had been along on that trip, and enjoyed spending time with Johnston's sister who had become a close friend over the years.

As the spring gardens had started to produce crops, several classes had been held in the school cafeteria's industrial kitchen to teach the basics of canning fruits and vegetables. Annie Shaw and Lillian Montgomery had been happy to share their knowledge with the younger generation. Heather's friend Hope Bennett, who had moved to Jericho with her veterinarian husband in June, had taught more advanced classes on canning everything from bacon and leftover meatloaf to butter and cheese. Having just come from UC Davis, she was aware of all of the newer techniques being taught in the AG community. Marian Frederickson had suggested that the townspeople send their favorite stored food recipes in to _The Jericho Eagle_. One or two of the best ones were printed in the publication each month.

In the communications department, the town had purchased the components for a HAM radio base-station and was in the process of assembling it in the basement of Town Hall. Oliver Wilson had turned out to be an invaluable member of the communications team and eager to help. After years of isolation and loneliness, he was slowly coming out of his PTSD shell more than 25 years after being released from the POW camp in Viet Nam.

For communications within town, hand-held two-way radios were chosen. The Sherriff's department, fire department and many farms and ranches already used these, so it was a matter of choosing a frequency for "town business" and making sure all of the systems were adjusted to function with one another. Marian Frederickson and her assistants created a call-down tree to make sure every member of the community would be contacted if need be. Numerous households wanted radios of their own, so a group buy was made to save on cost and shipping. The comm team planned to have the two-way radios operational by the drill weekend even if the HAM radio was not.

The community reserve force, which had been named _The Jericho Rangers_, had been organized into squadrons, each led by a military veteran. They had been meeting at least monthly for target practice and had set up check point locations on the roads into town. They had been scheduled such that one squadron was always on call to respond to a disturbance of any nature, with the other squadrons available to back them up as needed. Because of the great community response, they had formed 10 squadrons of 50 townspeople, with additional EMT's added to each squadron when they were on call. As the new volunteer EMT's were trained in the fall, they would be permanently assigned to squadrons. The _Rangers_ had agreed to wear brown polo shirts and jeans when they were on patrol so they would appear unified. _Jericho Rangers_ and the letter of their squadron (alpha – juliet) were embroidered on one side with their name and position in the squadron on the other side. If questioned by outsiders, they decided to say they were forming a competitive shooting club.

April Green had the medical side of preparations well in hand. With the help of handyman Larry Fisher, clinic nurse Margaret Taylor, and several of the other clinic nurses, the hospital basement/fallout shelter had been scrubbed into useable fashion again. The rats had been eradicated, the leaky pipes had been fixed, and the ventilation brought up to standard. Fresh bedding had been appropriated for the emergency cots since the previous supply was moldy. Shelving was built around the perimeter of the large room to hold the growing stockpile of supplies.

April had determined that they had enough basic supplies to last about six months, and had met with the FCHD board to see about stockpiling pharmaceuticals. She had been given the go-ahead and would begin in October, switching back and forth until they had enough supplies and medicines to last for at least a year. The clinic staff had been brought up to speed on rotating stock so that nothing went to waste due to expiration, just like they were doing with the food in their pantries at home.

The solar panels had been particularly effective over the long, hot summer, and the folks that had them appreciated the reduction in their electricity bills. Now, additional townspeople were interested in obtaining panels, and were added to the group buy of Cedar Brook to get the discounted price. Some folks even added additional panels to increase their electrical independence.

When Heather had gone to meet with the brake factory folks in New Bern back in March, Sheriff Constantino had sat in on the presentation. He had said something about the Mayor being unavailable, and wanting to make sure New Bern was well compensated for whatever deal was worked out. The factory administrator had agreed that the plan Heather presented was both simple and logical. He thought the factory could produce wind turbines for significantly less than they were being sold for elsewhere with just a little re-tooling of the machines. Since about half of the factory was not in use currently, it would be a windfall for New Bern to be able to offer it's townspeople a fresh source of jobs. The contingency from Jericho placed an order for 50 turbines on the spot, offered at cost since they had provided the idea. Everyone appeared pleased with the deal except Sheriff Constantino, who sat on the sidelines, seemingly disgruntled. Heather, Eric and Mr. Carmichael had agreed to only discuss turbines on this trip, leaving additional preparedness talk for another day.

On the trip back to Jericho, the discussion quickly turned to Phil Constantino.

"He always was an odd duck," Heather reflected. "He was a deputy when I was in high school, and he gave everyone the creeps."

"It's almost like he thinks more of himself than merely being the Sheriff," Eric continued, "like he wants to control what goes on in New Bern. I don't think he was very happy when Ted and Mr. Carlin agreed on the plans without consulting him."

"Not very happy," Heather retorted with a splutter, "there was practically steam coming out of his ears!"

Mr. Carmichael finally joined in the conversation. "I doubt you know this," he said thoughtfully, "but Phil Constantino had a rough upbringing. We in Jericho were a little surprised when New Bern allowed him to be a deputy, and downright shocked when he was voted in as Sheriff. I don't know that it is something tangible or diagnosed, but I think he has the tendency to be somewhat unbalanced. I'm glad they agreed to the turbine deal, but I think we were right in holding off on discussing the other information. Phil is just paranoid enough to think someone, somehow, is plotting against New Bern. If we can get Mayor Roark alone the next time we go, I'll try and have a word with him."

The machines in the New Bern Factory had been re-tooled and the turbines created without need for any further interaction. Fifty wind turbines had been delivered to Jericho the end of June, as promised. Interestingly, Phil Constantino had accompanied the delivery team. He passed out fliers and business cards for the newly organized New Bern Wind Turbine Factory, stating that any future orders would need to go through the web site. The rest of the delivery team had little to say. Upon inspecting the fliers, Heather noted that the prices had been marked up significantly, and the materials were not to the specifications she had insisted upon at the original meeting. She quickly opened up one of the turbines they had delivered, and was relieved to find that it was exactly what she had requested. Unfortunately, these 50 turbines were probably the only ones worth having out of the New Bern factory.

When Heather had a quiet moment to speak with Mr. Carmichael, Eric and Johnston later that afternoon, they all agreed that Constantino's behavior had been peculiar during his visit to Jericho. Jericho would not be recommending New Bern as a source for wind turbines to the other towns, and would avoid further business that involved Constantino if at all possible.

When she had not been teaching or working on projects for the "Planning Ahead" committee, Heather had spent much of her summer helping Hope and Gilbert get settled. They'd had a terrific visit over Easter Vacation, and Doc Taylor had offered Gilbert a job with a probable partnership in the near future. The two had gotten along well and Gilbert couldn't wait to get started working with the animals and people of Jericho.

Hope and Gilbert had loved the Henderson farm, and made an offer on it immediately. It had taken more than a coat of paint to get the house into shape, but they didn't mind. The house was spacious and sunny, perfect for the houseful of children they yearned for. Once the house was remotely livable, Hope started construction of a large greenhouse so she could propagate her own plants and grow things year-round.

During their spring break visit, Heather had brought Hope and Gilbert up to speed on the "Planning Ahead" committee and their efforts, asking Hope's opinion from a botany perspective. Hope had agreed completely with the plan, agreeing to teach gardening workshops once they had gotten settled. Jericho had not previously had a plant nursery, so she thought she might be of use in that department.

"I think you need to plant more trees around town, too," Hope had said thoughtfully. "The more trees you have, the more rain you get. Plus, they are useful as shade, as building supplies, and as firewood. Obviously fruit and nut trees are good, but you will want a mix of those and quick-growing trees that will provide wind breaks and shade. Trees cut down on soil erosion, too. There are whole foundations devoted to tree-planting in developing nations. Did I mention I miss all of the trees in Michigan?" Hope said with a laugh. "Seriously, though, go to - we've used them before to get trees for Arbor Day planting. Your kids will love this project!"

Indeed, the citizens of Jericho had agreed to the planting of more trees, and the last Friday in April found the school children of Jericho planting trees in town, on the outskirts of town, lining the roads around town, and on some of the farms and ranches. Almost 1,000 trees in all were planted, thanks to trees that came free with membership, membership discounts, and deals Heather was able to wrangle. By the time Hope returned in June she was amazed with the new look of Jericho.

The other notable event of the summer had been another call from Jake. Heather had been home alone one Saturday morning, E.J. having gone into town, when the phone rang.

"Good morning, Green Ranch," Heather answered cheerfully.

"So, you've been in Jericho what, nearly a year now? How do you like it?" The now-recognizable voice came through the phone.

Somehow, it always flustered Heather when Jake called. She took a deep breath. "I like Jericho very much," she answered. "Your family and the McCalls and the others have made me feel very welcome. It's like the hometown I never had, growing up in New Bern."

"Well, New Bern, that was part of your problem," Jake responded sarcastically, not seeming to be in any hurry today. "Jericho is a farm community, the people work together. New Bern just has the factory and a lot of retail. People come and go; it's not a real community."

"That's an interesting perspective," Heather admitted, going on to tell Jake about Phil Constantino and the wind turbine exchange.

"Doesn't surprise me," Jake responded. "Phil has been an enigma for as long as I can remember. I wonder why Eric didn't know that story. I think Eric gets tunnel vision sometimes and doesn't pay any attention to what's going on around him."

Heather decided to change the subject and tell Jake her concerns over E.J. "I may be out of line here, Jake, but I want to let you know that your Grandfather really worries about you. He doesn't say a whole lot, but I can tell that he doesn't like being the sole keeper of your vast array of secrets. Won't you please tell your parents what is going on with you so E.J. will feel like he is off the hook?"

Jake chuckled. "Well, it sounds like Grandpa isn't the only one who knows my secrets, if you're having this conversation with me."

"Alright," Heather conceded, "he has told me a thing or two. He likes to talk, and I like to listen. He's so proud of you, Jake, but he has to watch what he says around the family so he won't say the wrong thing. This wears on him, and he just doesn't need that kind of pressure at his age. I happen to know that even double-top-secret spy-type characters like yourself get time off for good behavior from time to time. Won't you please come home and talk with your parents? You don't even need to go into town if you don't want, just come in the back way to the ranch and we'll make sure your parents are here." Heather was breathless from speaking quickly; concerned Jake would interrupt or hang up.

After a pause, Jake finally answered. "Well, I guess I could think about it. I didn't know Grandpa was taking it so hard, me being gone and all. He's always been so strong. It's hard to think about him getting older."

Heather, seeing that she had made her point, spoke more softly now. "Yes, he is getting older, and you are missing it, Jake. And E.J. is missing you a great deal. Even if you decide not to speak with your parents, will you please come visit him?"

Jake knew he had lost the battle. "Yes, I will look into time off and getting a flight scheduled. It probably won't be until the fall because I'm in the middle of an operation, but I will come as soon as it ends."

"Thank you, Jake. It will mean so much to them." Heather responded kindly.

"So, I guess Grandpa isn't home today?" Jake continued finally.

"Nope, just me," Heather responded. "He went into town. We're all busy with preparations for the big disaster drill weekend in August."

"You've really turned that into quite a project, haven't you," Jake asked.

"Well, it was mostly E.J.'s idea." Heather replied, "I've just done some of the research and scut work to help things come together. I think it is really an important plan. With the state of the country and the world, it's reassuring to know we will be OK here in Jericho no matter what."

"I think I had a part in it, too, planting the orchard last spring. How is that coming along?" Jake asked.

"Well, my friend Hope is a botanist that just moved to Jericho and she says everything looks great! She gave us some tips on caring for the various trees, bushes and vines, and helped E.J. set up several bee hives in appropriate locations. If I'm not mistaken, we will be able to harvest honey this fall!"

"Great," said Jake, feeling a bit nostalgic for the ranch. "Maybe I'll get biscuits with honey on my visit."

"Hopefully so," replied Heather, making a mental note to learn how to make biscuits during her next cooking class at the bunkhouse.

"Well," Jake said finally, "you probably have papers to grade, or a pantry to alphabetize. I shouldn't keep you."

"Yes, there are a few things I should be doing," Heather responded. "Should I mention your call to E.J. or will you be calling again soon?"

"Why don't we keep it our little secret? I'll let you know when I can get some time off, O.K.?" Jake asked.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm looking forward to meeting you, Jake Green," Heather declared.

"That feeling is mutual, Heather Lisinski," responded Jake with a chuckle. He didn't know what to make of this attractive young woman who spoke her mind with such ease.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the characters from the show, but the rest are all mine!

**Chapter XII: "Lights out Jericho"**

**August 9-11, 2002**

No one knew exactly how the fictitious disaster would begin. Each of the core members of the team had written scenarios, complete with envelops to be given to key personnel giving instructions on radio calls to be made, events to be reported. Each was supposed to start with the words "_I have been instructed to tell you_ . . ." to differentiate drill events from real life events. Otherwise, the citizens of Jericho had been advised to go about their normal lives. Marion Frederickson was to have chosen one of the six scenario packet and handed out the smaller envelops which were labeled with names, dates and times for the actions to occur.

The team had discussed the merits of turning the power off for the whole weekend, but felt it wasn't worth risking 1,000 households worth of deep freezers full of meat. A compromise had been reached. The power grid would be turned off at the beginning of the drill, and turned back on at midnight. It would be turned off Saturday morning and on again Saturday night. Those who chose not to participate had been advised to be out of town if they did not care to be inconvenienced, but that group was growing smaller all the time. Gray Anderson, of course, would probably be the last hold-out. Fortunately he had decided to concentrate his contrary attention on some other topic.

Johnston and Gail Green had just finished eating dinner with their neighbors Jim and Judy Moore when the lights blinked and everything not powered by solar or wind turned off. Johnston received a radio call from Deputy Jimmy Taylor shortly thereafter.

"Mayor Green, _I have been advised to tell you_ that the weather service was tracking a tornado near Rogue River. Right before the power went out; it looked to be heading toward the power station there, so I guess it got hit."

"Alright, Jimmy, I'll be in as soon as I can," Johnston replied. "Any sign of tornados closer to Jericho?"

"_I have been advised to tell you_ no," came Jimmy's response.

"Go ahead and start the card game without me, it's going to be a long night," Johnston said to Gail, Jim and Judy with a roll of his eyes and a wry smile as he went toward the door.

The three sat in silence for a few moments before Gail finally got up and started toward the kitchen.

"I'll start the coffee," she said, "I think we'll need it."

She soon returned to the dining room, appearing a bit flustered.

"Our water isn't working," she told her guests. "Can we check your house to see if yours is?"

"Sure, let's go," Judy replied in her soft southern drawl as she and her husband rose and headed for the door. Jim, having been a U.S. Marine, was a squadron leader for the _Jericho Rangers_. He already had access to a two-way radio because he was Postmaster of Jericho and needed to be in contact with the mail carriers. He carried his radio with him now.

When the group arrived next door at the Moore home, they found the water off there, too.

"May I borrow your radio, Jim?" Gail asked.

Jim nodded and handed over the radio.

"Johnston Green," she started, "this is Gail Green calling to alert you to the fact that we have no water pressure at our home or at the Moore home."

"Gail, you're supposed to say '_I have been advised to tell you'_ so I know it's part of the drill," came Johnston's swift reply.

"And I would have said those words if it _had_ been part of the drill," Gail quickly retorted. "This is a real life report of no water pressure. You might want to check other sectors of town to see if it is isolated or widespread."

"Roger that," came Johnston's reply.

Heather, E.J., and the entire McCall clan, listening to the radio exchange while eating their traditional Friday evening meal at the bunk house, found the exchange hilarious. One of the kids got up and went to the kitchen.

"We have water here," she called back.

"Thank you, Katie," replied Joanna McCall.

"Green Ranch has water pressure," E.J. reported, depressing the speaker button on the radio.

"Copy Green Ranch has water pressure," came a harried response. The group could imagine the newly hired deputy, Bill Kohler, fumbling with the radio while attempting to mark Green Ranch with water pressure on the map. More laughter followed.

"I guess I should head in and see what I can do to help," Heather said reluctantly, as further reports of 'yes water pressure' and 'no water pressure' trickled in from locations in every corner of Jericho.

Few people had stored water, given the assurances of the team that the water supply was safe, and the solar panels would power the water pumps. Heather mulled the situation over in her mind, trying to think what could have gone wrong. As she listened to more water pressure reports come in, she began to notice a pattern. The farms and ranches with their own wells seemed to have water pressure, while the folks in town seemed to be without. That helped a great deal; one problem to investigate rather than numerous ones.

The staff at City Hall had realized the town vs. country aspect of the water pressure issue by the time Heather arrived. Heather was sent with a couple of the rangers to investigate the pumping station up the hill at the end of Chaparral. Turned out the solenoid valve was jammed in the off position and the manual override was corroded. With a little elbow grease and leverage they were able to open the valve and solve the problem. They heard reports of "water pressure back at the trailer park", "water pressure back at the Moore home" as they returned to City Hall. Heather was glad it had been a relatively simple fix and the disaster drill could continue.

Meanwhile, back at City Hall, Jimmy Taylor had opened the envelop that had been marked with his name and 8pm Friday.

Turning to Johnston, he began to read: "Sir, _I have been advised to tell_ you that the tornado demolished the electrical plant in Rogue River that provides power for western Kansas. The death and devastation in Rogue and many other communities along the I-70 is profound. It also took out the warehouse district and most of the trucks that usually bring in our food and fuel. It looks like we will be on our own for a while."

The group in Town Hall was silent while the words sunk in. Although they knew it was just a drill, it made them realize anew the importance of what they were doing.

Johnston finally spoke. "Go ahead and read that over the radio, if you would, Jimmy, then I will speak to the town."

Jimmy complied, and then handed the microphone to Johnston.

"Folks, this is Mayor Green speaking. Jimmy had just read you the report on what's going on. I want to advise you to remain calm and rely on your training. We will be inconvenienced for a little while, learn to rely on one another, learn how we might be better prepared for the future. As more information comes into the office, we will pass it along to you, probably in the morning. If anything critical comes up during the night, we will let you know. Please pass this information to your call-down list as assigned.

_Jericho Ranger_ Delta Squadron was on call Friday. Ridley Cooper, one of the deputies who had been a marine, was squadron leader. He assigned crews to monitor the six routes in and out of town, a crew to do fire watch in the tower above the fire station, and several crews to patrol the community. One crew stayed at City Hall to monitor communications and another to cover breaks during the night.

Johnston, having checked in with the Med Center to make sure they were under control, excused himself to go home for the night, confident that the eager young members of the Delta Squadron would alert him if need be. He recognized the scenario as the one he personally had written, and he had not been foolhardy enough to create issues that would interrupt his sleep.

Heather had left City Hall shortly before Johnston. She noticed that the ranch house was dark, but lights were glowing in the windows of the bunk house. As she stepped in the door, she laughed to herself, not at all surprised that the residents of Green Ranch had decided to turn the disaster drill into a reason for a party. The musicians played and everyone remotely related to the McCalls were square dancing or sitting around chatting in the candle light. The ranch had both solar panels and a wind turbine; Heather wondered why they weren't using them. Madelyn and Erin, each with a baby on her hip, approached Heather as she made her way into the great room.

"Um, what's up with the candles," Heather asked quizzically.

Erin laughed. "We decided to have a disaster drill slumber party," she responded.

"It wouldn't have been and fun with electricity. We're staying all weekend!" Madelyn added.

"OK." said Heather with a laugh. She noticed Hope and Gilbert on the dance floor as her eyes adjusted to the flickering light in the large room. If the McCalls had many more grandchildren, or adopted many more people into the family, the bunk house just wouldn't be big enough, she thought to herself. She was pleased, however, that her two sets of friends liked one another.

Saturday morning dawned clear and warm. Heather had fallen asleep on one of the couches of the bunk house along with various other guests. The squelch of her hand-held radio broke the early morning calm.

"Good Morning, Jericho," announced a voice that was much too loud and cheerful for so early in the day. "This is Deputy Brad Riley with your morning disaster report. _I have been advised to tell you _that Delta Squadron guarded the town all night without incident. No outsiders entered Jericho during the night. No fires occurred. No additional tornado activity to report. Echo Squadron will be on duty today with squadron leader Connor Jackson at the helm. Please enjoy your stored-food meals today and keep sending those recipes over to Hiram Cale at _The Jericho Eagle_. Please advise us if we can be of help in any way. Otherwise have a good day, and please pass this information to your call-down list as assigned."

Heather sat up and stretched, noticing that those around her were doing the same. As she glanced toward the industrial kitchen, she saw Annie and Joanna in the kitchen starting to prepare breakfast for the gathering. The thought had occurred to Heather the night before that the McCalls weren't taking the drill seriously. Now she realized that they _were_ taking it seriously, they just chose to have fun along the way. In the event of a real crisis, they would probably fare far better than most because they could adapt any meal to serve more people, could create a meal out of practically nothing at all, and always had room in their home for another guest. Heather thought perhaps she should take her cooking lessons more seriously and learn from these gracious ladies.

Breakfast was cooked over the fire pits on the back deck. Farm-fresh eggs and bacon cooked on griddles, oatmeal cooked in an industrial-sized pot and served with warm milk straight from the cows, and bread baked in Dutch ovens that had been nestled down amongst the coals earlier. Applesauce, made from apples grown at the Surry Apple Farm, was served on the side, with freshly-brewed coffee. No one went away hungry, but the ladies had to turn their attention to fixing dinner as soon as breakfast was served. Heather and Hope were on clean-up duty. They discussed with the McCall women how exhausting pioneer life must have been, and understood afresh why so many died young. Hot water was hauled in large kettles from the outdoor kitchen by Joanna's 17 year old son Kyle, to the indoor sink where Heather and Hope were set up to wash dishes. Joanna's oldest daughter, 15 year old Ellen, supervised 12 year old Katie and 8 year old Tess as they brought the dishes into the kitchen from the tables, scraped them clean into a bucket for the pigs, and stacked them neatly. When Hope had dried a stack of dishes, Ellen stepped in and put them away. It was a cheerful group, with Annie, Joanna, and Madelyn peeling vegetables and sorting beans for dinner while Erin watched the youngest members of the group on the opposite side of the counter.

The domestic scene was broken mid-morning by another squelch of Heather's radio.

"This is Mayor Johnston Green calling from City Hall. _I have been advised to tell you_ that a tornado has been sighted about 20 miles out of Jericho and moving this direction rapidly. _I have been advised to tell you_ to take shelter in your basement or in the basement to which you are assigned if you do not have a basement, as quickly as possible. You will be advised when the tornado warning has been cleared."

All of the people in the bunk house turned to glare at Heather in mock dismay as they dried their hands and prepared to go to the basement.

"Hey," she said defensively, towel in hand, "I didn't write _this_ scenario. Be glad mine didn't get picked, or we would have been heading for the basement in the middle of the night!"

Everyone laughed as they herded the children along to the basement with them. Joanna stepped out onto the back deck to sound the meal bell three times in case anyone on the ranch has missed the radio transmission. She grabbed the large plate of sandwiches that had been prepared for lunch on the way to the basement door.

Seeing that the bunk house basement was already filling up with people and all of the men had not yet arrived from the barns and paddocks, Heather and Hope decided to go over to the ranch house to check on E.J. and keep him company in the basement there. The Bennett's basement had not yet been outfitted for a disaster, so Hope and Gilbert had been assigned to shelter at the ranch. Gilbert was just driving up as Heather and Hope arrived.

"Come on down," E.J. said as he lead the way down the stairs to the basement. "I hope we get the all-clear in time for the ladies to cook dinner. Breakfast was delicious, and I'll bet the stew they are making will be delicious tonight!"

Heather, Hope and Gilbert laughed at his enthusiasm as they helped themselves to water bottles and got settled to wait.

"I really can't believe how organized Jericho is," Gilbert began. "In most communities, the people would be raiding the market and rioting at the gas station within an hour of the crisis."

"Well, we certainly have that element in Jericho, too," affirmed E.J. with a chuckle. "We aren't in town right now to see how those folks are coping. I think you'll find that the farm folks are more self-sufficient to begin with. It helps that this is just a drill, and that we've been preparing for this kind of thing for nearly a year. Even if it wasn't a drill, probably 90% of the town would stay home and take care of their own, while 5% would go into town to seek information and offer help, and 5% would be the ones looting and rioting. In the cities, of course, the statistics are reversed, with closer to 90% causing the problems and lacking common sense. The Golden Hoard, I think they call it?" he asked, looking to Heather for confirmation.

"That's right," answered Heather. "Now I'm feeling guilty for having fun here when I should be in town trying to be part of the solution."

"Pshaw," responded E.J. "they would call us in they needed us, and believe me, they _will_ call us when the real thing happens. It's more important that you're here learning survival skills and making memories. How are those cooking lessons coming along, by the way, ladies?"

Heather and Hope looked at each other and giggled.

"Well, we sure are having fun," Hope started. She had joined Heather's lessons mainly for the social aspect, but quickly realized she could learn a lot from these farm wives. Although she had been married and cooking for herself and Gilbert for four years, she had been taking the short-cuts readily available in the supermarkets. These farm ladies made things from scratch, and everything tasted wonderfully. They usually didn't use recipes, so Heather and Hope had been scrambling to take notes as they learned. Cooking for a large group, rather than for two, was another adjustment for Hope.

"_I_ like cooking lesson pretty well," Gilbert said with a smile. "Hope gets to bring home samples!"

They all laughed.

"Maybe you'd like to come over for dinner next weekend?" E.J. asked Gilbert. "The girls could cook dinner for us!"

"Sounds like a plan," Gilbert responded.

"Oh, good grief, the pressure is on!" Hope exclaimed as Heather made a face at her and laughed.

The "All Clear" signal crackled across Heather's radio before she and Hope could decide upon a menu. The group went back to what they had been doing - E.J to reading the paper, Gilbert to working on his house, and the ladies to the kitchen of the bunk house.

The rest of the day went along without difficulty. The residents and guests at Green Ranch were in bed early, exhausted from all of their hard work. From what they had heard, things had gone relatively smoothly in town. The power was restored at midnight and a brief critique of the weekend would take place at the high school auditorium after church on Sunday.

Hot showers felt good to the residents of Jericho on Sunday morning. Church was uneventful, with Reverend Young saying a prayer of Thanksgiving that the weekend had been only a drill.

The high school auditorium was hot and crowded by the time Heather and the Greens made their way to the front of the room Sunday afternoon. Johnston got the attention of the room so the meeting could begin.

"So, we have had our first disaster drill in Jericho, and I think we all lived through it." Johnston began with a chuckle. "On Friday night, we had a bit of trouble with the town water pump, quickly rectified by Miss Lisinski and a team of rangers. On Saturday morning, there was a bit of confusion in town about which underground shelters residents were assigned to. Folks, _please_ read the information we send out! There is plenty of space in shelters for everyone in town, but only if everyone goes where they have been asked to go. In other news, I have heard about some delicious meals being prepared from stored food. Overall, I think the drill was a success. Don't get complacent, though, the next drill may be more complicated! Does anyone have questions or comments?"

Johnston looked first at the team assembled behind him for comments. Heather stepped forward.

"I just want to say that the McCall family throws a terrific disaster drill party! The food was delicious, and makes me realize that I have a lot to learn."

The crowd laughed along with Heather. Johnston looked to the audience for questions.

"Do you mean we're going to have more drills?" shouted Norm Perry, one of the mine employees.

"Well, yes," Johnston replied. "That's how we keep our skills up and build new ones. We should have a drill during the winter so everyone can test their cold weather survival ability; and probably a biological or pandemic type of situation. Definitely one involving an EMP, but that will take a lot more research. Are there any more questions?"

"Yeah," shouted Wayne Carroll, the Fire Chief, "can we all come to the McCall's house next time? Cooking with stored food must be a lot harder than it looks."

When the laughter had died down, Johnston answered. "Believe it or not, I don't think even the McCalls can feed everyone in Jericho at once. We might be able to arrange for classes on cooking with stored food, however. Good point.

"I'd like to thank you all for participating this weekend, I think it has made each of us better equipped to handle whatever may come. While we will never be totally prepared for every eventuality, each new skill you learn and each disaster drill make us more prepared overall. If there are no more comments at this time, we can adjourn and you all can go home and eat lunch that was cooked with all the modern conveniences. If you think of something else you'd like to add, just call or come by City Hall. Have a good day, folks!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Jericho or and of the characters that appeared on the CBS show.

**Chapter XIII: Dinner and Guests**

**August 16, 2002**

Heather hurried home as soon as school let out on Friday. She had done the grocery shopping the evening before, and Hope said she would come over to the ranch early to help prepare and cook dinner. They had decided to make crispy herb-baked chicken, green beans and salad fresh from the garden, biscuits with honey fresh from the hive, and chocolate cheesecake for desert. Just the thought of dinner made Heather's mouth water; she hoped it would turn out as good as it sounded! At least she had confidence in her cheesecake-baking skills. She had baked it the evening before.

The August weather was hot and humid with the usual compliment of insects, making the Heather decide to eat inside rather on the back deck. Food preparations and dinner went smoothly. The group had enjoyed Heather's cheesecake and adjourned to the great room for coffee and conversation. They had left the lights low to cut down on the heat generated, and because they had all rather enjoyed the subdued atmosphere during the disaster drill. They were discussing Ellen McCall's 15th birthday party on Saturday that would be attended by all of the younger teenagers of Jericho. Bonnie Richmond, Skylar Stevens, Lisa Whaley and several other girls had arrived Friday evening for a slumber party to kick off the event; the boys would arrive Saturday afternoon. Heather and Hope decided the McCall kids were fortunate to grow up in such a party-minded family.

There was a lull in the conversation as they heard the tires of a car crunching the gravel in the driveway. Figuring it was someone heading to the McCall's, they sat in comfortable silence for a moment until the front door opened and a hooded figure let himself in. He carefully closed the door behind him and started across the room toward the stairs carrying a duffle bag. Heather, Hope and Gilbert watched in bewilderment. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs, E.J. cleared his throat, and the figure spun around.

"Oh. Well, this is awkward," he declared.

E.J. stood up and rushed at the stranger, engulfing him in a bear hug.

"Johnston. Jacob. Green. What in tarnation are you thinking, sneaking into the house, in the dark, just about scaring your old Grandfather to death?" demanded E.J. "You're just lucky I didn't shoot you for trespassing."

"Good to see you, too, Grandpa. And, for the record, I think you scared me more than I scared you. I thought you would be over at the McCalls on a Friday night. The house was dark, and I was just going to go upstairs and take a shower after traveling for the past 24 hours. Who are your guests?" Jake asked, pulling off his hood and looking across the great room.

"My grandson Jake Green, meet my partner-in-crime Heather Lisinski, Jericho's new veterinarian Dr. Gil Bennett, and his lovely wife Hope, who is our resident expert on all things relating to plants and trees; and keeping bees!"

Jake shook hands all around and they all sat back down.

"So, I hear you've had a look at the orchard," Jake asked Hope. "How is it doing?"

"Very well," Hope responded with a laugh, the shock of the breaking-and-entering stranger stating to wear off. "We were able to put in 3 bee hives to improve pollination when we visited in March, and just harvested a sample of honey this week. The plants look strong and healthy. Whoever planned the orchard choose good angles for natural irrigation."

"Thank you; I had a lot of advice from the McCalls and from Mr. Surry at the apple farm. It was a lot of work, and I'm glad it turned out well."

By this point, Heather remembered her manners. "We just finished eating, but there is still plenty of chicken, green beans, salad and biscuits left. Or chocolate cheesecake and coffee if you have already eaten." She looked at Jake expectantly.

"Well, having been out of the country and eating unmentionable things for more than a year, I think I will take you up on your offer. Honey with the biscuits, please?" He asked with a smile.

"Of course," she answered with a grin, remembering their prior conversation.

When she returned from the kitchen with his plate, E.J. was talking.

"So, you just decided to drop everything and fly halfway around the world for dinner?" E.J. asked, somewhat perplexed.

"Pretty much," Jake nodded, already digging in to his meal. "We finished the operation early, and I had some vacation time on the books. Rather than flying back to headquarters, I thought I'd take a little side-bar and come visit my favorite Grandfather." It was a long standing joke; Gail's Father having died before Jake was born, making E.J. his _only_ Grandfather.

"Well, I'm mighty glad to see you. How long will you be able to stay?" E.J. asked.

"Just a few days," Jake responded, "and I really don't plan to go into town, if you know what I mean. I thought Mom and Dad might be able to come out for a visit. I have a lot of things to tell them."

The relief on E.J.'s face was obvious. "I'm sure they would like that very much, Jake. This town is just too small for all the secrets it has been keeping."

Hope and Gilbert exchanges significant looks, like they felt out of place and hearing things they shouldn't.

"Maybe we should go," suggested Gilbert, "It's getting late and I'll have those Future Farmers of America waiting for me bright and early in the morning," he concluded with a grimace.

"Don't go on my account," Jake put in, "but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention seeing me."

"Who's Jake Green?" Hope asked with a shrug and a laugh. "But we really should be going. Thank you for your hospitality tonight, E.J." she said, giving him a hug.

"Thank _you_ for cooking dinner, it was delicious! You girls did a great job! I believe we'll give you another opportunity to practice your skills in a few weeks!" E.J. concluded cheerfully, shaking Gilbert's hand as he and Hope gathered their things and headed toward the door.

"Good night!", "See you tomorrow!" everyone called.

Heather took this as her cue to leave as well.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jake asked her, motioning for her to take her seat again.

E.J. raised his eyebrows at Jake when he spoke to Heather in such a way.

"She's the reason I'm here," Jake said with a smirk, "the least she can do is sit and talk with us. Sounds like you've filled her in on a lot of things already."

It was E.J.'s turn to look sheepish.

"It's O.K., Grandpa," Jake reassured him. "I didn't mean to burden you with my secrets. Heather convinced me I should come see you, and fill Mom and Dad in on what I've been up to all of these years."

E.J. beamed at Heather. "I knew you were a good kid to have around."

Heather grinned back at him. "I didn't know he would be arriving tonight, however. You scared the snot out of us, Jake!" She concluded in mock displeasure.

"Believe me, the feeling was mutual," Jake answered, laughing. "I was ready for a hot shower and a soft bed. Now I'll be awake for hours, waiting for my blood pressure to come back down to normal."

"Maybe some chocolate cheesecake and coffee would help? Decaf, of course," Heather offered.

Soon they were all enjoying coffee, and Jake had made short work of his cheesecake.

"After September 11," Jake was saying, "the Bureau pulled me out of South America and sent me to the Middle East. They have me doing mostly short-term assignments, delivering packages or doing surveillance or security details at specific events, usually wearing full Arabian garb. Turns out my dark hair and eyes help me blend in perfectly. A good tan, or a little tanning lotion, and I fit right in. Mostly I wear a recording device and an ear piece for communication, but they have been pounding on me hard to learn Arabic. I've been working on it, but it's tough."

"So, are you out of the ANG now?" E.J. asked.

"Inactive," Jake replied. "I have eight and a half years into the Army; almost half way to retirement, with the second half as an officer. It I get transferred back stateside, I can be reinstated as a reservist and start my clock ticking again. Since I still haven't decided what I want to do when I grow up, I thought I'd keep my options open," Jake concluded wryly.

"And you're finally ready to come clean with your parents?" E.J. asked tentatively.

"Yes, I think so," Jake replied. "There's no real reason not to tell them about what went on in the past, except my pride. Probably best if the Mayor of Jericho knows the truth about Jonah's operation too - that it's legitimate, and, with the exception of Mitchell Cafferty, the guys are now law-abiding and trying to rebuild their lives. Just knowing that might make Dad's life easier. Not to mention knowing the truth about me. Do you think you could call them and ask them to come out to the ranch tomorrow afternoon Grandpa? Please don't mention that I'm here."

"Of course, Jake. Heather and I can make ourselves scares so you can have some time with them."

"No!" Jake replied vehemently. "I'd really rather you both were here when I spoke with them. It seems like you both know pretty much the whole story, and haven't walked away from me yet. I could use the moral support. If you don't mind," he appealed to them.

"I don't have anything else going on," Heather said, "if you're sure you want me here."

"Yes, please," Jake answered. "Mom and Dad seem to have taken a liking to you. Mom has spoken highly of you on the phone."

"Really," answered Heather in surprise. She didn't feel she had spent enough time with the first family of Jericho to have made an impression one way or the other.

"You know I'll be here, Jake," E.J. reassured. "But let's get some sleep now so we can function tomorrow, OK?"

Jake and Heather agreed, and they adjourned to their separate rooms. Jake's bedroom had been left untouched other than cleaning and having the linen changed, so he felt at home and quickly fell asleep.

**Author's Note: ** So, Jake and Heather have finally met! It only took us 114 pages to get there! I hope you are enjoying the ride. I keep meaning to say – if anyone has any requests, or wants to see more of a particular character, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Emily and Jake getting together - you've picked the wrong story. Anything else, we can work on.

**Also** – No pictures for this chapter. I think you've met everyone there is to meet for a while.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own any of the characters which appeared on the TV show Jericho.

**Chapter XIV: Confessions and Surprises**

**August 17-18, 2001**

Saturday morning was as hot and sticky as Friday had been. After breakfast with Heather, E.J. put in a call to Gail, requesting a visit from Johnston and her after lunch. She agreed, knowing better than to ask questions.

Heather's cheesecake had been rich, so more than half of it was left from Friday evening's dinner. She cut up assorted fruit for a salad and made a pitcher of iced tea. She was counting on busy hands and mouths being a good thing during this conversation.

Gail and Johnston arrived just before 1pm. E.J., Jake and Heather were sitting in the great room waiting for them. Upon seeing Jake, Gail ran to him and gave him a hug.

"Oh Jake! Oh honey! Oh you're home!" Gail said with tears of joy.

"You're choking me, Mom!" Jake finally said with a laugh, attempting to extricate himself. He and Johnston shook hands rather stiffly, and they went to sit down.

"We have iced tea, fruit salad, and chocolate cheesecake" Heather said cheerfully, passing out napkins and indicating the refreshments on the coffee table. Soon everyone had what they wanted.

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here," Jake began. "Well, I have owed you both some explanations for a long time, and I wanted to give them to you. With the uncertainty in the world following the September 11th attacks, and with the uncertainty of my job, I wanted to come clean about things before it was too late."

Jake went on to tell his parents about his military experience, earning him a look of admiration and a sense of fraternity from Johnston because he had chosen the Army. He outlined what he could of his FBI job. He then back-tracked and told them about Jonah Prowse and the role Jonah's compound played in the FBI parole program. He outlined what had happened the spring Chris Prowse had died, and how guilty he still felt over his failure to handle Mitchell Cafferty's case differently. Johnston interrupted him at that point.

"Son, do you mean to tell me that you've been on the right side of the law this whole time? To hear Emily tell it, you practically pulled the trigger of the gun that shot Chris. You allowed us to believe the worst about you all of this time?"

"I might as well have pulled the trigger," Jake responded miserably. "It was my responsibility to get Mitchell moved to a different location, and I couldn't make it happen in time. I failed. I screwed up, again. Just when I was starting to make something of my live, about to make you proud, I get Chris killed. He was like a brother to me. I still can't face Emily. Or Jonah. But I wanted to set the record straight with the two of you."

"Son, maybe I owe you an apology," Johnston broke in. "I have _always_ loved you. I have only ever wanted you to be happy, and to live up to your potential. I was confused over what happened with Chris and Jonah, but I didn't have the whole story. I haven't spoken more than two words to Jonah in years. He seems to enjoy the reputation of living on the other side of the law. I can see, now, why he might want to keep people away. But, as Mayor, I should have been kept in the loop about what was going on in my own town. I had a _need to know_. What was the FBI thinking? And what were you thinking continuing the ruse?"

"I was just following orders, Dad," Jake broke in. "It had already been going on for decades by the time they involved me, it never occurred to me to mention it to you."

"Well, it doesn't need to go any further than this room, but I will have a word with Jonah. We grew up together. I want him to know that I have his back if he gets into another fix. Maybe I could have helped with Mitchell Cafferty if I had known what was going on. Not your fault, Jake, and I appreciate you telling me now. I have always felt badly about how things ended between Jonah and me. I had no idea he was out there trying to do the right thing. Maybe it's not too late to salvage an old friendship. Damn Feds, anyway. Present company excluded, of course," and he gave Jake a wry grin.

Jake shrugged his shoulders and grinned back. He hadn't felt this comfortable with his father since before he had found out he was adopted. He thought back to how close they had been then. Going on hunting and fishing trips together when Johnston could spare the time from City Hall. Baseball games or football games in the yard. Jake was thankful he had made the effort to come back to Jericho. He was shaken from his reverie by the sound of his mother's voice.

"Jake. Jake! How long will you be able to stay?" Gail was asking.

"Just until tomorrow," Jake responded, "I have to check in with headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to debrief from my last operation and receive my next assignment. I fly out of Wichita Sunday night, arrive in D.C. Monday morning, and then fly to Riyadh after a stopover in Frankfurt. Another 24 hours of travel to look forward to! But just think of the frequent flyer miles I'm accumulating." He said sarcastically with a dry chuckle.

"Oh, Jake, couldn't you get them to give you a few more days off?" Gail asked hopefully.

"Believe me, Mom, I would have loved more time. I only got this time off because the last op wrapped up early. I didn't even have time to call, just hopped a flight and practically scared Grandpa and Heather to death coming in last night. We are so busy following up on leads all over the Middle East that we barely have time to breath. Once I learn more Arabic, they will start sending me on longer assignments. Deep cover assignments. I don't know if that will improve my chances of time off or not, but it will change things up a bit. Now that you know all of my secrets, I will try and keep you in the loop a little more. There are still plenty of things that are classified, but I can speak in generalities. Just please don't let all of Jericho know what I'm doing, O.K. Mom?"

Gail looked at Jake in surprise. "You say that like I like to tell secrets."

"Never mind, Mom," Jake interrupted shaking his head. "Let's just keep this between ourselves for now, OK?"

"OK, Jake," Gail replied. "I'm very proud of you. Be careful, alright?"

"Yes, Mom, I always try to be." Jake responded with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm proud of you, too, son," Johnston added. "The Army. Good choice! And everything else you've been doing. It's a far cry from the punk kid I thought you were when you went away. I just wish you had felt comfortable telling us these things years ago rather than keeping us in the dark. At least we know now. And we are, indeed, very proud!"

There were hugs all around, and arrangements made for Gail and Johnston to come to lunch at the ranch Sunday afternoon to visit a little more since Jake didn't want to be seen in town. Eric and April were out of town for the weekend at a medical conference, so the timing was perfect.

E.J. and Heather skipped church on Sunday morning in favor of spending time with Jake. Lunch would be make-your-own deli sandwiches and salads, so minimal preparation would be involved.

Jake wanted to ride his horse out to the orchard to see how things had grown, and to ride around the ranch in general. Even though Heather had minimal experience with horses, Jake cajoled her into joining him on his ride. He saddled an older, docile mare for Heather and then saddled his own stallion, noting the McCalls had taken excellent care of him in Jake's absence. He gave Heather a few pointers and they cantered around the paddock a few times before setting out for their ride.

"Has Grandpa told you how the ranch got started?" Jake asked Heather as they loped along.

"No, not yet," Heather replied, trying to get comfortable on her horse.

"His grandfather, Nathanial Jacob Green, came to Jericho in the late 1800's, shortly after it was established as a town, but long before it was really civilized. He brought with him 6 horses; two stallions and 4 mares. Nathanial was raised on a horse farm in Kentucky and knew quite a bit about horses. He also knew that the Wild West would need horses to get settled. The horses he brought were of the newly recognized Quarter Horse breed; he knew that they were a willing, sturdy workhorse. Turns out they were also good for racing and for showing. Those horses produced two foals every year for quite a few years and word got out that the horses from Green Ranch in western Kansas were good ones to have. Within the next decade, Nathanial was able to send for more brood mares and another stallion from the family farm in Kentucky. Green Ranch always remained a family-run, small-scale horse farm, but the quality of the horses was exceptional.

"Nathanial met his wife Evelyn Mott here in Jericho. The Mott family was among the founding families of Jericho, arriving in the late 1860's. They were a German family; and had a cattle ranch at the north of town near the river that has since been split up and sold. Nathanial and Evelyn had seven children, four girls and three boys. Unfortunately, only the four oldest survived the influenza epidemic of 1918. Brody Jacob Green, their oldest son, was already married to Hannah Fitzgerald and they lost their two children as well. Fortunately they went on to have four more, Aunt Millie, Uncle Peter, Aunt Agnes and E.J."

"How horrible to lose all of those children," Heather interjected.

"Yes, I'm sure it was," Jake agreed. "It hit the children particularly badly here in Jericho because scarlet fever had gone through a few years earlier and weakened all of their hearts. I think they lost about a third of the children under the age of 12, and they lost many elderly people, too. They just didn't know what we do now with modern medicine."

By this point in the conversation, they had circled the ranch and come back by way of the orchard.

"Whoa, they really have grown," Jake exclaimed, dismounting to examine the trees more closely. There were small apricots and peaches growing on the trees, and tiny clusters of cherries. The grape vines had actual grapes. The nut trees wouldn't produce nuts for a few more years, but the trees had nearly doubled their size. The blueberry and raspberry bushes were full of berries that looked to be ripe. Jake picked a few and popped them into his mouth, nodding with pleasure. Heather had clamored off of her horse as well and was stretching her legs.

"You guys must have taken really good care of these plants; I wasn't even sure they would all make it when I planted then," Jake said, clearly excited with the appearance of the orchard.

"We added fresh compost and manure in the spring, but I think it was mostly all of the rain we had," Heather said with a shrug, making a mental note to return with the McCall kids to pick berries. She was happy to have Hope advising her because she knew almost nothing about plants.

"What in the world is Grandpa going to do with all of that fruit?" Jake asked.

"Why, can it, of course. And make jam and jelly," Heather said with a smirk. "That's what we do here in Jericho now. We don't run to the store for everything, we grow our own, we make our own, and we store it until we need it. Being careful to date and rotate everything, of course. Why Hope and I are even learning to cook courtesy of the McCalls so we won't starve, when _The Catastrophe_ happens."

Jake laughed at the sing-song tone of her voices; it was apparent that she had rehearsed this speech. Heather laughed, too.

"Don't get me wrong, I really believe in what we're doing," Heather said, "it just gets tiresome, sometimes, when that's all we talk about. I have my kids learning survival stuff in school, and it's the preferred topic of conversation with E.J. and your parents. And now Hope. Maybe I need a hobby," Heather concluded, shaking her head.

At that juncture, Jake's cell phone rang. He excused himself and turned away from Heather.

"Jake Green," he answered.

"Yes, thank you Sir,"

"Yes, I can, Sir."

"I will, thank you very much, Sir. Have a good weekend. Good bye."

Jake returned to Heather and sat down on the ground at the base of one of the trees. He had a shell-shocked expression on his face.

"Wow. I didn't see that coming." Jake said after a moment of silence.

"Are you ok?" Heather asked, seating herself nearby.

Jake shook his head like he was clearing his thoughts.

"Yes, I'm fine," he paused. "That was my boss. He said they have been watching my work, and that I have been one of their most valuable operatives in the Middle East since September 11. I am handicapped by my lack of language skills, but they think I have the aptitude because of what I have been able to pick up so far. They have arranged for my admission to the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California, starting this month. I am to get a master's degree in counterterrorism, and learn Arabic through immersion while I am there. I'll be in school for about two years, then go back to the Middle East and lead my own task force."

"Wow. That is big news. Congratulations?" Heather responded quizzically.

"Yes, I think so." Jake laughed. "I like what I do, so I don't mind doing more of it. And I actually like being a leader, so that part should be OK. Two years of school will be like a vacation - and Monterey! I hear it's beautiful! Maybe you don't need a hobby, maybe you need a vacation. You'll have to come visit me!"

Heather laughed. "I've only seen Kansas and the east coast. Be careful, I might just take you up on that offer."

"Well, I've only seen Kansas, Florida and D.C.; and South America and the Middle East. We could explore California together!" Jake replied, the idea of going to grad school rather than returning to Riyadh starting to become real in his mind. He stood and pulled Heather to her feet.

"So when do you have to be there?" Heather asked.

"He said classes start on the 27th; a week from Tuesday. There is furnished student housing that the FBI and other government agencies use when they send students there. My apartment will be ready next weekend. My stuff will be shipped from Riyadh, but there isn't much. I really can't believe this is happening," Jake concluded, getting ready to mount his horse.

"Um, it isn't far to the barn. I think I'll walk, if it's OK with you," Heather said self-consciously. "I don't think I need to be any more sore than I already am."

"We'll both walk," Jake replied graciously. "I'm sorry; it never occurs to me that everyone wasn't born riding horses like I was. We can work up to longer rides, if you like."

"Sure," Heather replied cheerfully, "as long as we do it slowly!"

"Deal," said Jake with a grin.

Gail and Johnston were just arriving as Heather and Jake came down stairs after refreshing showers.

"How was your ride?" E.J. asked, as they set out the last of the lunch items and sat down.

"Well, the ride was very nice, and the phone call I received was very interesting," Jake began.

"Oh? What is it Jake?" Gail asked, concerned that it might be bad news.

"It was my boss calling." Jake began. "Looks like I'll have a few extra days in Jericho after all. Then, instead of returning to Riyadh, I'll be going to California where they want me to study Arabic and get a master's degree in counterterrorism."

"Oh, Jake! That's wonderful!" Gail cried, relieved that he would be stateside and relatively safe for the next two years.

"My goodness, son," Johnston interjected. "That sounds like quite a vote of confidence. Congratulations!"

"Good for you, Jake," E.J. said with a large grin.

"Thank you all. It's still sinking in. After I finish my degree, I'm supposed to go back to the Middle East and lead my own task force. It's all still pretty surreal."

Heather had brought her laptop downstairs with her and had been busily working while Jake was making his announcement. Now she turned the screen around to show the group pictures of the campus of the Institute for International Studies, just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean.

"Monterey is located in the mountainous costal region of California," Heather began reading, "one of the most beautiful natural settings in North America, boasting rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, lush forests, and an array of distinct fauna. It is home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Monterey Jazz festival. Nearby attractions include Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, San Francisco, Yosemite National Park and Death Valley.

"Monterey is known as 'The Language Capital of the World'. The average year-round temperature is 60° Fahrenheit, so bring warm clothing. Bicycling, hiking, rock climbing, surfing, scuba diving and kayaking are popular outdoor activities in the area." Heather finished reading.

"Sounds like Camp Snoopy to me," Johnston commented. "Two years in paradise with pretty girls, surfing, hiking, biking . . ."

"Hey, I'll be learning to speak Arabic," Jake reminded him.

"I can't think Arabic is really that much more difficult than the French and Spanish you took in high school and whizzed right through. You never had any trouble with you studies, Jake, just your attitude. And you seem to have outgrown that problem now." Johnston concluded.

"OK, so I get to go to Camp Snoopy for two years and get paid for it. It that such a bad thing?" Jake finally asked.

"No, it's not a bad thing at all, son. I'm just giving you a hard time." Johnston said, smiling at Jake. It had been so many years since they had held amicable conversations; they both remained somewhat on the defensive.

"I hope you have a great experience in Monterey. Maybe Mom and I will have to come for a visit; I hear it's beautiful out there!" Johnston concluded.

"Maybe I need to request a larger apartment. Sounds like I'll be having a lot of people coming to visit California," Jake sighed.

"And probably even more, once word gets out. What do you want us to do with this information, son? It seems to me like it's all or nothing. At this point, you either let everyone find out everything, or keep it all boxed up like you have the past decade. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I'd recommend letting the truth leak out, but that's just me." Johnston opined.

"You're probably right, Dad. Now that I have a few more days in Jericho, I can speak with Jonah and maybe even Emily, if she will see me. Set the record straight. It makes me feel foolish that I allowed my pride to keep me from telling those secrets for so long, and for no good reason."

The group enjoyed lunch and conversation until late in the afternoon, since Jake didn't have to leave for the airport. Heather finally excused herself to get things ready for orientation week at school, which would start the next morning. After Gail made arrangements to see Jake the following evening for dinner, she and Johnston finally took their leave.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **The characters that appeared on TV aren't mine.

**Author's note:** The next chapter is a long one; look for it by the end of the week. Things will start to get interesting between Heather and Jake *Ü*

**Chapter XV: Making Amends**

**August 19, 2002**

Heather left early for school on Monday morning after eating a quick breakfast with the men. Jake and E.J. lingered over coffee, and then Jake busied himself making phone calls. Through his former stateside FBI contacts, he was able to determine that Mitchell Cafferty had, indeed, been found guilty of armed robbery and as an accessory to manslaughter in the death of Chris Prowse. He was doing 15 years to life in Leavenworth, and the Bureau would not plan to relocate him to Jericho if and when he faced another parole board. Jonah had elected to continue his operation, working with other parolees. An agent from Rogue River, Shawn Brinker was the new liaison; Jake was given his contact information. It was almost noon by the time Jake finally made contact with him. Brinker felt Jonah would be willing to speak with Jake, to hear Jake's side of the story.

After a bite of lunch with E.J., Jake found himself making the familiar drive east on Route 40 toward the Jericho Air Terminal. He drove around to the back where Jonah's compound was set up - several hangers that housed the machinist equipment, goods being transported in to or out of Jericho, various trucks being repaired, and the actual crew. Jonah and 20-25 men lived at the compound, depending upon the needs of the Bureau, in a warehouse that had been outfitted like a dormitory. Bedrooms and bathrooms were upstairs, a large kitchen, dining area and living room downstairs. Cooking and cleaning responsibilities rotated around through the group much like that of a fire house. Jake remembered with a smile some of the meals he had enjoyed at the compound.

When Jake pulled his car up in front of the office, several of Jonah's men approached him in a protective manner.

"I don't want trouble," he said, raising his hands in the air, "I just want to speak with Jonah."

"Stand down," Jonah said, stepping out of the shadows. "It's OK. Come on into the office, Jake."

Jake followed Jonah into the familiar room. Maps of Kansas hung on the walls and piles of invoices were neatly stacked in Jonah's 'in' and 'out' box. Jonah did not sit behind his desk, but rather led Jake to two chairs on the other side of the room. Jake took this as a good sign.

"So, Jake. It's been a while. What brings you here today?" Jonah finally asked.

Jake had been wringing his hands. Being back here, on the compound and in this office, brought back memories of Chris, and of his teenaged years of rebellion and anger. Years spent with Emily.

"Jonah, I can't tell you how badly I feel about how things went for Chris. That I wasn't able to manage Mitchell Cafferty better and get him out of here before something like this happened. I'm so sorry. I've spent the last 15 months in godforsaken third world countries, trying to make amends, but it really isn't working. I think I need to make amends to you. And maybe to Emily, if she will speak to me." Jake had been looking at his hands while he was speaking, not sure if Jonah would accept his apology or punch him. He felt being punched wouldn't entirely unreasonable.

Jonah sat quietly for a moment until Jake looked up at him.

"Son, I accept your apology. I know you were trying to get Mitch out of here. It was pure dumb luck that Chris switched shifts at the last minute and ended up going along on that job. I may have lashed out at you at the time - I can't really remember what all happened, and for that, I apologize. There have been a number of liaisons come and go from the Bureau, and you were one of the better ones to work with. It was just a shame that everything fell apart on your watch."

Jake let out a breath he had not known he was holding. Jonah had been there for him during the turmoil after he had discovered he was adopted. The man might be rough around the edges, but he had always treated Jake like another son, correcting him when needed, otherwise teaching and supporting him. Jonah had taken the time with him that his own Father did not have due to the requirements of his position. For that, Jake would always be grateful. Just knowing that Jonah was no longer angry with him provided Jake with a great sense of relief. He decided to push things a little further.

"What do you think about Em? Should I try to speak with her?" Jake asked tentatively.

Jonah's face darkened. "You can try, but I wouldn't recommend it," he said skeptically. "She's still angry with both of us. She hasn't spoken a word to me since the funeral, and has said some pretty harsh things about you around town, if the gossip is to be believed. Of course she doesn't know the back story, but I don't believe it would make much difference with her. That girl can carry a grudge just like her mother could. I'd give her more time, if I were you."

"OK, I'll do that. Thank you for your candor, Jonah." Jake responded. "How are things going around here otherwise?"

Jonah chuckled, the mood lightened. "Oh, pretty much the same as always. The names change, the faces remain the same. How about you, Jake? Are you back in Jericho for good?"

"No, I'm just here for a few days to see my family. I've been working in the Middle East since 9/11. I just found out yesterday that the Bureau is sending me to language school to learn Arabic. That should be interesting," he concluded wryly.

"Well, school was never any trouble for you. I'm sure you will do fine. Keep in touch whenever you're in town, OK?" With that Jonah rose to conclude the conversation.

"I should mention that I came clean with my Dad about what happened. Me working for the feds and all. He was happy to hear that we're both on the right side of the law," Jake said with a chuckle. "He may be coming to speak with you. He wants to offer his support and all."

"Thanks for the heads up," Jonah replied. "Johnston and I go way back. I will look forward to seeing him."

The two men shook hands and Jake drove back toward town. He considered stopping by the school to see if Heather needed help with her classroom, but remembered that Emily Prowse had finally completed her degree the spring he had left town, and gotten her teaching certificate during the year he had been gone, doing her student teaching assignment in Jericho. This year would be her first official year teaching - high school history, if he recalled correctly - at Jericho High. Better to head back to the ranch and avoid trouble.

Jake and E.J. puttered around the house for a couple of hours, working on E.J.'s _to do_ list of minor repairs and enjoying each other's company. Again, Jake felt grateful he had returned to Jericho for this visit.

Heather got home just before four, and they enjoyed a glass of iced tea before getting ready to meet Johnston and Gail at _Mama Maria's Mexican Restaurant_ in town. On the trip into town, E.J. explained how Jericho had come to have a Mexican restaurant.

"Around 15 years ago, just about the time Gray Anderson arrived in town, Ken and Maria Whaley moved here as well, when Ken took a job in the mine. They moved right into one of Gray's homes in _The Pines_. Sarah was just a little thing back then, and the other girls hadn't arrived yet. Turns out Maria is of Hispanic origin, and can cook like you wouldn't believe. She started out making tamales for various friends, and then other people wanted to buy them. She had a lot of encouragement, and soon opened the restaurant. It's been a hit ever since. I think Sarah is a senior in high school this year, and she's helped out in the restaurant since she was tiny. Lisa - I think she must take after her father's side, because I've never seen her help anyone. Little Sophia, though, she's already starting to help out. Cute as a bug, that one is."

"Sophia Whaley?" Heather asked, the wheels in her head already starting to turn. "I think she will be in my class this year."

"Yes, that would be about right," E.J. answered, noticing her expression. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I've noticed that there really isn't a great deal of ethnic diversity here in Jericho, Kansas, but I seem to have quite a bit in my class this year. I was thinking about having a "Friends from Foreign Lands" theme rather than a traditional Thanksgiving pageant. Now I'm thinking we should include ethnic food as snacks and invite parents. Maybe Madelyn would want the fourth grade to participate as well so my kids from last year could come, too. I can make something Polish, and we'll probably have something Scotch, German, and Irish, of course. I'll have to check my class list tomorrow. " Clearly Heather was no longer with them, her mind already making lists of the things that would need to be done.

"Is she always like this?" Jake asked E.J. with a chuckle.

"Pretty much. She has those kids of hers doing more projects and field trips than any other teacher in Jericho history. Whatever she does, she does with 110% of her energy and enthusiasm, and she does love her kids. Oh, to be so young and energetic again," E.J. concluded with a laugh, Heather completely oblivious to the conversation going on around her.

Soon they arrived at the restaurant. Sarah Whaley greeted them at the entrance wearing a white peasant blouse and colorful skirt. She seated them with Gail and Johnston, who had just arrived. Heather remembered Sarah now from the career day assembly the previous spring. Sarah had expressed an interest in law enforcement, but her parents had felt it was too dangerous. She had compromised and now planned to become a police and fire dispatcher for the first few years at least, attending classes at the community college in Rogue River once she completed high school. Both Sarah and her parents seemed pleased with the compromise.

Gail was speaking to Jake when Heather looked up from her reverie. "I hope you don't mind that I invited Eric to join us tonight. April has evening clinic, so he would have been alone for dinner."

"Good thing we're in the back corner of the restaurant," Jake mumbled cynically, "there could be fireworks."

At that point, Sarah returned to the table with glasses of ice water and Eric in tow.

"Eric." Jake said, standing up.

"I heard you were back in town, brother," Eric said, pulling Jake in to a halfhearted hug.

Heather immediately noticed the tension mount as the brothers took their seats. Gail and Johnston exchanged looks, unsure if they should have invited Eric after all.

"So, Dad tells me you've been working with the FBI all this time," Eric started right in. "Don't you think you could have let someone know so Mom wouldn't have been worried sick?"

"Look, it's none of your business," Jake retorted softly, remembering afresh Eric's self-righteous attitude and reverting to teenage tactics.

"It is my business." Eric continued, his voice rising. "It's all of our businesses. What you put this family through . . ."

"_Enough_." Johnston said, interrupting Eric. "I would not have invited you here tonight if I thought you two were going to snipe at each other like this. In public, no less. Jake has apologized; he's making amends. He'll only be in Jericho a few more days. You're welcome to stay for dinner if you can be civil, Eric. Otherwise, perhaps you should excuse yourself right now."

"I'll stay," Eric replied sullenly, fed up with Jake being perceived as right in his parents' eyes even when he had done all the wrong things.

There was an awkward pause, before E.J. broke in.

"So, Heather was thinking about having a different kind of celebration at Thanksgiving this year with her kids. Why don't you tell Gail what you were thinking?"

Heather, anxious to take the focus off the obvious sibling rivalry, launched into the details of the class celebration she had been thinking about. Gail liked the idea and suggested costumes be added to the repertoire. Soon they had ordered and eaten their meal without further differences of opinion between Jake and Erik. They had ordered flan for dessert and coffee to drink before Eric spoke again.

"Look, Jake, I guess you were right. It wasn't my business. I'm sorry I laid into you like that."

Jake looked up in surprise. "Thank you, Eric. I'm limited as to what I can tell you all about the details of my job. I've probably said too much as it is, but I came back to Jericho to try and set things straight before more time went by. I hope you will understand."

The brothers nodded to each other as a cautious truce was reached. Dessert arrived and the conversation turned to lighter things before everyone parted company for the evening and headed home.

On the car ride to the ranch, Jake brought up the interaction he'd had with Eric.

"Maybe we should just let things ride; tell no lies, but not go out of our way to tell anyone else in town what's been going on. Probably no one really cares, but I just don't have the energy to hash things out with everyone in Jericho. I had a good talk with Jonah today. He understood my situation and accepted my apology. That means a lot to me. He also recommended that I give Emily more time. Maybe the rest of Jericho needs more time, too. Or at least take it on a case-by-case basis. I want to spend the day with Mom tomorrow; I'll talk to her about it."

"That may be prudent," E.J. replied after thinking it over for a few minutes. "Sometimes the less said the better.

It was late by the time they returned to the ranch, so they retired without further conversation.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **The characters from the CBS show still aren't mine.

**Author's Note:** Happy Fourth of July to my American readers. Happy Wednesday to everyone else *Ü*

**Chapter XVI: An Unexpected Interlude**

**August 20-21, 2002**

Tuesday morning repeated Monday morning's routine with Heather, Jake and E.J. eating breakfast together and then Heather departing for orientation week at school. Once she was gone, Jake felt it was a reasonable hour to call his mother and make sure she would be home for the day. Gail was delighted with the prospect of spending time with Jake and told him she would be waiting.

After a quick shower, Jake set out for the Richmond Ranch. He found Stanley operating the truck patch as he approached the farmhouse.

"Oh I can't believe it! Jake Green! How you doin' man?" Stanley asked, drawing Jake in for one of his patented bear hugs. "When'd you get back to town?"

"I just got in a few days ago, I'm visiting my Grandfather." Jake replied.

"Well wait a minute, where the hell you been?" Stanley asked.

"Ah...around," Jake said, trying to avoid the whole truth.

"Jake, no one's been _around_ for over a year," Stanley said, giving him an incredulous look.

Jake knew he couldn't bluff his best friend. "The FBI. I've been doing some work for the FBI in the Middle East, but everybody doesn't need to know about it, OK?"

"OK. Good for you, Jake." Stanley said. "How about you and I, we go out tonight and we catch up?"

"I'd love to, but I'm only here for a short time, then I need to report to language school before heading back to the Middle East. I would like to take a pie to my Mom, though," Jake said, eyeing the pink boxes piled in the stand behind Stanley.

"Strawberry rhubarb for your Mom, right?" Stanley asked.

Jake nodded.

"Welcome back to Jericho, Jake," Stanley said, handing Jake the pie box.

"Thanks, man. Good seeing you," Jake said, returning to his car.

While Jake probably could have fit in an evening of catching up with Stanley, he found himself irrationally wanting to spend as much time as possible with Heather. He had no reason to hope she would be interested in him, but he found himself absurdly fascinated with her.

As Jake drove through Jericho, he noticed a few changes that had taken place in his absence. Had all of these trees always been here, he wondered? He made a mental note to ask his Mom.

Gail was waiting for him when he arrived, the table set for lunch in a few hours. She had planned to work in her garden, so she asked if he would like to join her, remembering that he was always more comfortable out of doors. She put on her sun hat and held up 2 pairs of gloves as they headed toward the back door. There was a pitcher of iced tea and 2 glasses on the patio table, so Jake poured two glasses and they continued across the yard to the raised cinder block beds Johnston had put in for her years ago. Gail had a small kitchen garden consisting of lettuce, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, peas, beans, and zucchini, Jake thought. They sat on the cinderblocks and sipped their tea. Beau, the family dog, soon nuzzled his head into Jake's lap and wagged his tail contentedly as Jake sat petting him.

"I'm sorry about the commotion with Eric last night," Gail started. "I shouldn't have invited him without asking you first."

"It's OK, Mom; we haven't been close in years. It didn't surprise me that he wasn't happy to see me. He finally has you and Dad to himself. Why would he be happy to have me back in town?"

"Well, he didn't need to cause a fuss at the restaurant," Gail concluded, starting to pull weeds.

"He apologized. We're good," Jake said, joining Gail's weed pulling efforts. "Hey, Mom, have we always had so many trees in Jericho?" He asked, changing the subject.

"No, that would be Heather again," Gail replied. "I guess Hope thought more trees would increase our chance of rainfall, as well as give us more firewood, more building materials, and so on. Heather contacted the company Hope recommended and got them to donate some trees and discount others. Some are fruit or nut trees while others will provide shade and a wind break. It's all part of your Grandfather's plan."

"Wow. And it makes the town look nice, too. That Heather is something, isn't she?" Jake asked, curious to hear what his mother would say on the subject.

"She has taken the town by storm, with her sweet smile and quiet voice," Gail laughed. "I think she has every man in town willing to help her with whatever apparently wild project she comes up with, knowing it will turn into something wonderful by the time she is done with it."

"And what about you, Mom, encouraging her to have costumes at her Thanksgiving pageant? I think you're just as drawn in by her schemes as anyone. It seems like she does have good ideas, after all."

"Guilty as charged," Gail said with a laugh. "The thought of those little kids in costumes was just too cute to pass up. Even if it means I'll probably be sewing some of them." Gail sighed. "I don't have grandchildren to sew for, after all," Gail concluded with a plaintive expression.

"Oh, stop. Not the grandchildren speech, Mom. Save it for Eric and April. They've been married almost two years. They need to get busy!"

"Don't tell them that," Gail said hurriedly. "From what I can tell, they haven't been successful in that department. Kind of a sore subject. I've learned not to say anything anymore."

"Ouch. Thanks for the heads-up. I probably would have put my foot into my mouth on that one, too. But don't look at me anytime soon - all of this travel isn't conducive to settling down and starting a family."

Gail smiled. "Well, now that you mention it, you'll have two years state-side. And we have the lovely Miss Lisinski right here in Jericho, as single as can be."

Jake shook his head. "Oh, Mom, I don't think Heather has the slightest interest in me. First of all, she's only just met me. Plus, there have to be plenty of interested guys around that aren't as likely to be returning to the Middle East in a few years."

"I don't know," Gail continued, "I don't believe she has dated at all since coming to Jericho. It's something to think about," Gail concluded with another smile.

Jake became absorbed with his weed pulling, racking his brain for a change of subject. Eventually they spoke of other things and enjoyed the rest of their day together. Jake was sure to head back to the ranch in time to be there when Heather arrived home from school. He checked in with E.J., and then went out to the barn to have a look at his horse. Will McCall was just returning from a ride to the cow pasture. They were expecting a late-season calf, and Will wanted to check to see if it had arrived.

"Any sign of the late calf?" Jake asked.

"Yes," Will responded with a laugh, "it must have been born this morning. All white, and as frisky as can be. Looks like a lamb chasing around with the other calves in the pasture. They don't often jump around like that."

"Maybe I'll take Heather and go have a look," Jake said, checking the road to see if she was in sight yet. He tacked up his horse and the mare Heather had used earlier in the week, listening for her car, as Will rubbed down the horse he had been out with. Soon he heard Heather's car in the driveway and he walked out of the barn toward her.

"Hey, are you up for a short ride," he asked. "Will says there's a new calf; I thought you might like to see it."

"Sure," Heather said with a laugh, "I'll go change and be back in a few minutes."

Soon she had returned and they were riding toward the pasture. The Green Ranch usually kept a dozen or so dairy cows and a bull, with a handful of calves born each spring that were sold, butchered or integrated into the herd. Jake found it mesmerizing to watch the herd make its way from one end of the pasture to the other and back, chewing on grass along the way. The newest calf was, indeed lively, leading the other calves as they cavorted between the older cattle. Jake and Heather sat on their horses and laughed at the bovine antics for a while before heading back to the barn. Jake showed Heather how to take care of her mare. He did most of the work himself, but talked her through the process. He mentioned that E.J. would be away at a poker game that evening with Joe Bitner, Roy Herbert and Scout McCall.

"Were you looking forward to an evening at home, or would you like to go in to New Bern for a movie and a bite to eat?" Jake asked, still concentrating on the horse in front of him. He was afraid if he looked at Heather she would realize how nervous he was.

"Hmm, I haven't been to a movie in ages. What's playing?" Heather asked.

"Let's see what I can remember," Jake said, his courage returning. "MIB2, a Crocodile Hunter sequel, a Halloween sequel, K-19: The Widowmaker starring Harrison Ford about a Soviet nuclear sub, and Stuart Little 2. What kind of movies do you usually like?"

"I usually like dramas, and I love Harrison Ford movies, but this one looks a little intense," Heather said tentatively. "Definitely no Halloween movies, I have bad dreams afterward. Would you be upset is I asked to see Stuart Little 2? It's one of my favorite books, and I loved the first movie."

Jake laughed. They had finished up with the horses and were walking toward the ranch house.

"No, I won't be upset if you want to see Stuart Little 2. I remember reading the book as a kid and wishing Stuart had been my brother instead of Eric. I missed the first movie, though, so you might have to help me out there," he concluded with a lopsided smile.

"Deal," said Heather with a laugh as they entered through the back door of the house.

E.J. was reading the paper at the table, having made arrangements for a poker game in order to give Jake and Heather a little leeway. He was pretty sure they were both onto his tactic, but no one wanted to say anything.

"Well, since you won't be gracing us with your presence tonight, Heather and I are going into New Bern for dinner and a movie," Jake announced.

E.J. did not look up from the paper. "Well, you kids have fun, but don't wait up for me tonight. I'll probably be late."

"OK, Grandpa. You have fun, too. Don't lose the farm tonight, OK?" Jake asked, striding up the stairs.

"Have a nice time, E.J." Heather added as she went into the kitchen to unpack her lunch bag from school and put the plastic containers into the dishwasher before she went up to get ready for dinner.

Jake was exiting the bathroom and returning to his room, his bath towel wrapped around his waist, as Heather reached the top of the stairs.

"Uh, Jake," Heather stammered, taking in his muscular upper body glistening with water from the shower.

"I took a quick shower," Jake said, startled by how flustered she had become.

"Go ahead," Heather said, still avoiding eye contact.

"No, I did. I just took a shower," Jake clarified.

"Of course you did," Heather said, nodding and trying to pull herself together. "I'll just freshen up and meet you downstairs in a few minutes, OK?"

"OK then," Jake said as he progressed to his room and Heather to hers.

Nothing more was said about the shower scene and the drive to New Bern was relaxing. Heather filled Jake in on her day at school.

"Turns out I have Mr. Murthy's daughter Alaina in my class this year as well as Jim and Judy Moore's grandson Jordan. Judy Moore is originally from New Orleans, so I'll bet we'll get some cool southern snacks. Maybe beignets!"

Jake laughed with Heather at her enthusiasm and her sweet tooth. He had grown up next door to the Moore's and was very familiar with Judy's delicious cooking. Gail had made it a point to make the Moore family feel welcome when they had moved into Jericho many years ago because they were the first people of color to move into the small community. As a result, the two families had always been close.

Jake and Heather went first to the theater to purchase their tickets when they arrived in New Bern, then back toward the commercial district where they decided on pizza. The meal was much more relaxed than the previous night that had been marred by the fireworks of sibling rivalry.

"You know E.J. doesn't usually play poker, right?" Heather finally asked, after they had enjoyed their meal.

"I thought he might have picked up a new vice," Jake said, still laughing about the previous line of conversation. "Word has it you can be a bad influence, Miss Lisinski."

"What?" Heather asked in surprise.

"I'm kidding, Heather," Jake quickly responded. "I know he doesn't play poker. I think there's matchmaking afoot, and from more than one direction. My Mom was telling me earlier today just how wonderful you are."

Heather blushed and giggled. "Nope, don't believe a word of it. I'm just a humble teacher who loves her kids and comes up a bunch of zany ideas to keep them busy."

"Now you're the one being silly," Jake countered with a laugh. "Look at what you and Grandpa have been able to accomplish with your "Planning Ahead" committee. I know he wanted to get that going long ago, but it took your effort and enthusiasm to get it started."

"We do make a good team," Heather conceded. "Should we be heading to the theater?" She asked, looking to change the subject.

"Yes, I guess so," Jake responded. "We want to find good seats, after all."

Turned out they had the small theater practically to themselves, the movie beginning rather late on a weeknight. Jake got Heather settled, and then went back for popcorn, drinks and bon-bons. Jake was relieved that the evening was turning out to be relaxing and enjoyable. He still wasn't sure someone like Heather, responsible and upstanding, could be interested in someone like himself, but he was willing to let things play out. Heather was having similar thoughts, wondering what someone as well-traveled and experienced as Jake would see in her.

On the drive back to Jericho, Jake decided to ask the obvious question.

"So, no boyfriend waiting in the wings to sweep you away?"

"No," Heather responded with a nervous laugh. "I've been too busy with school and then getting settled into teaching to even think about one. Not that they has been lining up for the pleasure," she concluded ruefully. "What about you, a girl in every port? Or is that just for sailors and not FBI agents?"

"No, no girls waiting anywhere for me. Emily Sullivan and I had an on-and-off thing going in high school but it was pretty much over by the time I left for college. I haven't dated anyone seriously since. I haven't really been in one place long enough."

By this point they had reached the ranch. Jake parked and went around to open the car door on Heather's side. His fingers brushed hers as they walked toward the porch and their fingers entwined. Jake gestured at the porch swing and Heather nodded as they went and sat down.

"So where does that leave us?" Heather asked, curious to know what Jake was thinking, but apprehensive about the answer.

"What would you like for us?" Jake asked, returning the question to her court. "I leave on Thursday for California. Are you interested in a long distance relationship?"

"I'm interested in you," Heather said earnestly, tilting her head to one side and looking up at Jake. "I've never met anyone quite like you, Jake Green, and I'd like the opportunity to get to know you better."

Jake was still holding Heather's hand. He gave it a squeeze as he spoke. "Again, the feeling is mutual, Heather Lisinski. I've certainly never met anyone quite like you. You fascinate me. You appear so sweet and innocent, but your mind comes up with all of these amazing ideas. And then, you are able to convince everyone around you to go along with these ideas, and somehow it all turns out great. If I tried that, no one would go along with me, and even if they did, it would end up in a disaster." Jake was laughing by the time he finished talking. He couldn't remember laughing as much as he had during his few days in Jericho. Had it really been less than a week? It felt like a lifetime.

Heather was laughing, too, wondering if Jake spoke from experience when he said his ideas ended up in disaster.

"Oh, I've had plenty of disasters, too," she said, still laughing. "I guess I've learned to think things through to all of their potential conclusions and weigh the risks before setting off on an adventure. Maybe we can compare disastrous results sometime?"

"Oh, that sounds like fun," Jake said sarcastically. "Why do I have a feeling that yours will be cute and mine will sound like true confessions of a future psychopath?"

"Oh, I'm sure you were just an adventurous boy with an active imagination," Heather said reassuringly, and then paused. "So, I guess we could videoconference," she continued.

"Yes," Jake agreed, "and you can come visit me over Christmas vacation."

"Oh," Heather said with a wince, "I think we're having a winter disaster drill over Christmas break, and I should be here to help. Why don't you come to Jericho for Christmas, and I'll come to California over spring break? If you haven't found a blond California girl in a bikini to fascinate you by then," she said eyeing him suspiciously.

"And if you haven't hooked up with one of the fine menfolk of Jericho by then," Jake said, returning her expression and laughing along with her.

"Deal," said Heather with a laugh and a shiver as the evening had turned cooler.

"Let's head in, it's getting late and cool," Jake said, standing and pulling her to her feet. "Thank you for a lovely evening, Heather Lisinski," he said as he leaned in and kissed her softly. Heather returned his kiss timidly, and they went in for the evening.

When Heather got home from school Wednesday afternoon, Jake asked if she was interested in another short ride.

"Another baby animal?" Heather asked curiously as she came back down the stairs in jeans and a T-shirt.

"Something tastier," Jake replied, picking up several large plastic containers from the kitchen counter on the way out of the door.

They rode out in the same direction as they had the previous day, and then passed through the gate and into the cow pasture proper. Heather raised her eyebrows, wondering if she would soon be milking a cow. The cattle were down toward the east end of the pasture where one of the ranch hands gave them food each afternoon. Jake and Heather rode west toward an outcropping of trees and brush. Jake dismounted and then helped Heather to dismount as well. He tied the horses loosely to the fence and pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket.

"And, here, Miss Lisinski," he said, pointing to the vegetation with a flourish, "we have ripe and delightful wild blackberries the likes of which you may have never seen before."

Heather laughed. She had been raised in a small town, but she was indeed, not a farm girl. She looked to where Jake had pointed and saw green bushes and a few red berries. Then she looked closer and saw that Jake had started to pick dark purple berries, depositing some into his mouth and the rest into one of the containers he had brought with them.

"I brought along gloves for you, if you like, because the vines have thorns. Personally, I prefer not to wear gloves because they make my hands awkward and I end up dropping more berries than I bring home." Jake was talking as he picked berries, carefully pushing back the vines with a stick to find more berries hidden underneath. Heather picked up a container and followed suit. Once her eyes adjusted to looking for the dark berries, she could see an abundance of them.

"When we were little, Grandpa used to bring Stanley and Eric and me out here to pick berries for Annie to make jelly. I think they are technically called dewberries because they ripen a few months earlier than regular blackberries, but the result is the same; heavenly jelly and syrup for pancakes. Maybe Annie or Joanna will teach you how to make jelly one day."

Heather had been popping some of the plump berries into her mouth as well when Jake finished talking.

"Oh, I see how it is," she said, with a drop of blackberry juice dribbling from the corner of her mouth. "Last night we agree to get to know each other better, and by today, you already have me slaving over a hot stove making jelly for you. Is that the way it's going to be Jake Green?"

Jake turned around suddenly, the hypnotic rhythm of berry picking broken by his concern over having offending Heather. As he started to apologize, he realized she was teasing. Then he noticed the blackberry juice and stepped closer to her. Using the pad of his thumb, he cleaned up the drop of juice.

"You wouldn't want that to get onto your clothing," he said softly, "I hear it stains."

"Thank you," she replied, looking intently into his eyes. He kissed her again softly.

In due course, they returned to berry picking, filling their containers with berries and returning to the barn just before sunset. Heather helped take care of her mare as Jake had taught her the previous day, and then they walked toward the bunk house to deliver the berries to Annie.

"Jake! I heard you were here and I was wondering when you would come to see me," Annie said when she saw him enter the kitchen, holding her arms out for a hug. "How are you doing? What are you doing?" Annie asked.

Jake leaned down to hug Annie, fondly remembering the years that she had served as a surrogate grandmother for him. He handed over the containers of berries while he gave her the short version of his past year and plans for the future.

"So it looks like I may be back in Jericho for Christmas," he concluded, glancing at Heather with a smile.

"Good," replied Annie, "I know E.J. will be happy to be seeing more of you. He really missed you when you left last year."

"I know, Annie, and I'm sorry," Jake said, trying to fend off her reproach. "I just had some things to take care of, and now I will hopefully be around a little more."

"I'm sure Heather will keep us informed of your whereabouts," concluded Annie, leaving Jake to wonder how Annie already know about them when they weren't even sure what was happening between them yet.

"I'll be leaving in the morning, so we'd better get home so I can start packing," Jake said finally, giving Annie one more hug.

"Be safe, Jake," she said as they went out the door.

E.J. had dinner waiting for them when they entered the ranch house, a simple meal of toasted cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and salad, but filling after their afternoon out of doors.

"This was my favorite meal as a kid," Jake said. "Best eaten on a rainy day, but it would make me feel good any time."

"I think it was my favorite meal, too," Heather said. "Maybe it's everyone's favorite meal. Comfort food, like meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy."

"So what are your plans for tomorrow, Jake," E.J. asked, changing the subject.

"Well, it's 1500 miles to Monterey, about 24 hours driving time," Jake responded. "I thought if I left by 9 or 10 in the morning and drove 12 hours tomorrow and then again Friday, I'd have the weekend to get settled, and Monday to check out the campus and get books before classes start on Tuesday. I probably should have left today, but it's been so nice to have a few days off after 15 months of non-stop work. Mom and Dad said they could stop by in the morning to say good-bye before Dad goes in to work. Hey Grandpa," Jake said, looking up from his soup, "Would it be OK if I planned to come home for Christmas?" Jake asked.

"Why certainly," E.J. said, beaming at Jake and glancing over at Heather, who was busily rearranging the vegetables in her salad. "I know the rest of the family will be happy to see you. You can bring them up to date on all of your adventures!"

"Sounds good, I'll let you know how my plans work out," Jake said with a smile.

Jake and Heather volunteered for kitchen duty, and E.J. mentioned being tired and retired to bed shortly after dinner. They giggled at the transparency of his excuse, but were happy to have a few minutes alone to say their good-byes. Heather would be rushing to work in the morning, and they would have an audience in Gail, Johnston and E.J.

Jake offered to wash the dishes if Heather would dry and put the dishes away. Once kitchen assignments were established, conversation turned to more personal matters.

"I can't believe we've really only known each other 5 days," Heather said, standing next to Jake at the kitchen counter and leaning her head against his shoulder as he started to wash. "In some ways, I feel like I've always known you, and in other ways, I feel like we still have so much to learn about each other."

"Well, as long as I haven't scared you away yet, I'll take it all as a good sign," Jake commented. "You have plenty of time to learn all of my annoying habits and other shortcomings. Just concentrate on the good things for now, OK?"

"Sounds like a plan," Heather said, laughing. "I probably have quite a list of annoying habits and shortcomings, too. Perhaps we shouldn't keep score."

"Four months 'til Christmas," Jake said thoughtfully. "That's a long time. What about Thanksgiving?"

"Um, what about it?" Heather asked, puzzled.

"I wonder what kind of time off I'll get at Thanksgiving. Maybe you could come at Thanksgiving, or we could meet in the middle. I think Vegas is close to the half-way point."

"Jake! I am not meeting you in Las Vegas for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a traditional holiday to be spent with family. Perhaps you'd like to come to Jericho for Thanksgiving as well? We certainly had fun at your parents' house last year, playing football in the yard and all before dinner."

"You're really pushing it, wanting me to come home 3 times in 5 months," Jake teased Heather. "I'll have to see how many days we get off. Nice to know you might want to see me, however," he said with a grin.

By this point, they had washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen. They were seated on the couch in the great room; Jake had an arm draped casually around Heather's shoulders.

"I just want to let you know that I'm kind of new at all of this," Heather began. "The whole relationship thing," she clarified. "I went to my senior prom with Ted Lewis, but he was more like a brother than a boyfriend. I was 'one of the guys' in high school - I hung out in the auto mechanics garage during lunch hour, working on engines. My mother would have been horrified. Then, in college, most of the people in my classes were women. Not a very target-rich environment for boyfriends. Plus, I just wanted to study and get through, so I didn't go out of my way to look. I always figured I'd get married and have kids one day, I just hadn't gotten there yet." Heather's eyes got bigger as she realized what she had just said. "Not that I expect you to marry me and have kids," she backpedalled. "So now, here we are, and I'm nervous and talking too much, because that's what I do when I'm nervous. I think I'll be quiet now and let you talk for a while."

Jake smiled at her reassuringly, not really surprised by Heather's admission after the shower scene earlier in the week. "Heather, it's OK. We're just friends here, getting to know one another better. It isn't a test that you have to study for. You're doing just fine, OK? I happen to like you just the way you are. It makes you different than other girls. Special. Just be who you are, OK? The rest will fall into place. I'll let you in on a little secret. I have been a little nervous around you, too. I haven't been able to figure out what someone as smart and pretty and pulled together would see in me - the town screw-up."

"Well, that's not how I see you at all," Heather said firmly. "Of course, I don't see myself as pulled together, either, so I guess we're even. OK, you're right. Let's just take things as they come and enjoy the journey."

They cuddled on the couch watching an old movie for a while, and then went to bed early so Jake could be well-rested for his trip.

Thursday morning, Jake was finishing a quick breakfast with E.J. and Heather when Gail and Johnston arrived. Heather murmured something about not being late for school, gave Jake a quick hug, and disappeared out the door before things could get awkward. Gail watched the process, a bit disappointed that things did not seem to have progressed between the two when they had seemed so compatible earlier. She poured coffee for herself and Johnston and they all sat back down to chat for a few minutes before Jake had to leave.

"So," Jake began companionably, "I was thinking I might be back in Jericho for Christmas.

Gail's eyebrows shot up toward her hairline and she glanced sideways at Johnston. After nearly 36 years of marriage, he could tell just what she was thinking and broke in before she could voice her thoughts.

"It would be good to see you again, son," Johnston said calmly. "I think we're planning to have a cold weather disaster drill over Christmas vacation, if you'd like to participate."

"That's what Heather said," Jake responded.

Gail kicked Johnston under the table but his demeanor did not change.

"I'd like to join in the drill and see how you have everything worked out. Sounds like a good plan you're putting into place." Jake continued. "Heather also mentioned Thanksgiving. She laughed at me when I suggested we meet in Vegas, insisting that Thanksgiving was a time for families and that I should come home. She said she'd had a great time at the house last year, by the way."

Gail could stand it no longer and launched into the conversation despite a reciprocal kick under the table from Johnston. "So, it sounds like the two of you have made some progress since we last spoke?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes, Mom, we have," Jake said in a resigned tone. He figured it was better to say something than to leave her hanging and continuing to conspire. "We have agreed we'd like to get to know each other better."

"Well, that's an excellent start," Gail replied, beaming at Jake as he smirked back.

"And, on that happy note, I'd better get the car loaded and hit the road." Jake said, standing up. "It'll be a long 12 hours of driving today and another one tomorrow. I'll keep in touch, though, and let you know my 'phone number and address when I know what they will be."

Jake's packed duffle was sitting by the door, so he slung it over his shoulder and took it out to the trunk of his car. He returned to the house for hugs all around, and was on the road by 9am.

E.J., Johnston and Gail returned to their coffee at the table for a few more minutes.

"I think the boy is turning out right nicely," E.J. opined. "And, just between you and me, I believe he and Miss Lisinski are rather smitten with one another." E.J. concluded, beaming across the table at Gail.

Gail was beside herself, having taken quite a liking to Heather. Johnston just rolled his eyes, knowing that neither Jake nor Heather stood a chance when Gail and E.J. joined forces to make something happen.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters from the CBS TV show Jericho.

**Author's Note: **Many thanks to my reviewer! Since you reviewed in the status of guest, I cannot send you a private note, so I will place it here. Yes, I will be continuing the story. Unfortunately, I have been posting faster than I have been writing, and have only a few more chapters completed. The posting will slow down considerably once that point is reached. The writing process would probably go faster if there were more reviews, especially if anyone voiced requests to see more of a character or had other requests. Otherwise, I will continue to bumble along as I have been *Ü*

**Also** ~ I will try to get this chapter and associated pictures posted at my Live Journal site by tomorrow.

**Chapter XVII: Fall Semester**

**Fall, 2002**

The fall semester passed surprisingly quickly. Heather and E.J. attended the big back-to-school picnic on the Saturday after Jake left, hosted this year by the Richmond Ranch. Heather was much more relaxed since she now knew just about everyone in attendance. When the children arrived for the first day of school on Monday morning, Heather found that she know most of their families as well. Since it was her second year of teaching in Jericho, it was a little easier to get into the routine of things. She and Jake found that 7pm Jericho time/5pm Monterey time was a good time for them to connect via videoconference. Most evenings found Heather scurrying up to her room to chat with Jake and fill him in on the events that had occurred in her class, at the ranch, and in Jericho. She, in turn, learned how Jake's classes were progressing and how comfortable he was growing with Arabic.

Shortly after arriving at the institute, Jake had determined that he could get away by noon on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, catch a flight to Denver in time to catch the commuter flight to Jericho, and be at the ranch by bedtime. He booked the flights immediately. The drive from Kansas to California already had him missing a certain third grade schoolteacher more than he would have expected. Heather had been quite pleased with the news, Gail ecstatic.

Heather had started planning in earnest for the "Friends from Foreign Lands" Thanksgiving pageant about two weeks after school started. She was happy when Madelyn Young had agreed to have the fourth grade students participate. Peggy Carroll, who taught home economics to middle school and high school students, volunteered to have her sewing students make costumes for the children whose mothers didn't sew. Gail agreed to help with the sewing and supervising of students since it would be a big project. Hope began to visit Heather's classroom a few afternoons per week to help the students write their speeches. The pageant was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, the day before Thanksgiving, and would be held in the school auditorium. Heather was gratified at the enthusiasm of the students and their parents with the idea of the pageant.

One afternoon after the students left, Hope was helping Heather gather up her things. Hope confided in Heather that she and Gilbert were expecting their first baby in the spring. Heather was delighted for her friends, but couldn't help but have a pang of envy when she was nowhere close to starting a family. When she mentioned the baby to Jake that evening she tried to be nonchalant but he could tell something was bothering her.

"It's not a big deal," Heather said brightly, trying to mask her apprehension. "I'll just enjoy my kids at school; and Hope's baby."

"Wait," Jake said teasingly, "your biological clock is ticking, isn't it?"

"Maybe just a little," Heather responded sheepishly. "It's just that Hope and I are the same age. We started college together, then she got married and now they're having a baby. I'll be OK once I get used to the idea. What would I do with a baby anyway?" She finished with a nervous laugh. This was _not_ a conversation she wanted to be having with Jake, but it seemed that every topic was fair game during their nightly chats. They found themselves sharing the thoughts and fears they didn't usually tell anyone else. Jake had counted the days until he returned to Jericho at Thanksgiving and each day they crossed another square off their calendars. Before meeting Heather, he would have scoffed at such an idea, yet here he was, instigating it.

Jake rolled his eyes in mock dismay. All he needed now was for Heather and his Mom to start talking and his future would be neatly lined out for him, probably complete with the dog and picket fence. He smiled to himself. Somehow, it didn't seem like such a bad future, now that he considered it. And all of the plans he and Stanley had made really didn't seem that fascinating after all. Backpacking in Costa Rica, learning to surf, sleeping on the beach – he found himself wanting to do these things with Heather, now, rather than Stanley. _I'm losing it, _he thought to himself. _Or, maybe I'm just growing up. _He knew he had never felt this way when he had been dating Emily Sullivan.

"Jake, are you still there?" Heather was asking, adjusting her computer screen. "Did I totally scare you off? I knew I shouldn't have mentioned the subject. You can always tell what I'm really thinking."

"I'm still here," Jake replied. "I was just wondering if you had ever done any camping or backpacking."

Heather shook her head at the non-sequitur, but was thankful for the change of subject.

"Um, yes, we used to camp at the lake every summer before my Mother died. I loved it! I did a little backpacking when I was in college and I have always wanted to do more. I guess it kind of goes along with my outdoor personality. I always preferred doing something outside with my Dad - even something tedious like pulling weeds - to doing just about anything indoors. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about things we might do over spring break," Jake said, not going into the details of his thoughts. Freaking himself out was enough for the moment; he didn't need to freak Heather out, too. Funny, the thought of having a baby used to make him queasy. Now, it didn't really seem like such a bad idea. All in proper time, of course. Jake chuckled to himself. Heather had a feeling she was missing about half of the conversation.

"Well, I'd better get my papers graded," she finally said.

"OK, I'll talk to you again tomorrow?" Jake asked.

"Same bat time, same bat channel," Heather quipped, now wishing to prolong the conversation.

"I'll be here," Jake replied. "Just 57 days till Thanksgiving!"

"Crossing it off my calendar right now," Heather reassured him, holding the calendar she used for this purpose up to the webcam.

"Good night, Heather." Jake said.

"Good Night, Jake," Heather responded.

Heather continued to look at the computer screen long after it went blank, wondering what the undercurrent had been about. Fortunately, most of her conversations with Jake were light and playful, not unsettling, as this one had been. She finally shook off the feeling that she had said the wrong thing and got started grading papers.

The week of Thanksgiving finally arrived. Each of the third and fourth grade children had a costume, a 2-3 sentence speech memorized about their family, and a plan to bring a savory or sweet snack representing their heritage. Things had started to unravel for the theme portion of Heather's pageant when Nick Cale had raised his hand on the first day and announced that he was a descendent of Benjamin Franklin; could he come dressed as Franklin? Heather didn't see a problem with that request, so she agreed. In the days and weeks that followed, Jordan Moore asked to come dressed in a Union soldier's uniform to honor his great-great-great grandfather who had fought for the north during the Civil War. Austin Carroll has asked to come dressed in camouflage to honor his father and grandfather who had been Army Rangers. Ned Montgomery said he was a descendent of Billy the Kid and asked to come dressed as a gunslinger. Tess McCall volunteered to be the narrator and asked to dress as Lady Liberty. By that point, Heather had taken a deep breath and decided to go with the flow. Her cute kids would still be in cute costumes and there would be plenty of good food to eat. She had talked Hope into dressing up with her as European peasant women, so she would have reinforcements.

During her time spent in the sewing class, Gail had found Bonnie Richmond to be a sewing prodigy, frequently taking her back to the Green home after school to continue work on a project. Many times Heather would join them and work on her school papers, enjoying the companionship. Both girls quickly came to care for Gail as the mother figure they were each sorely lacking. For her part, Gail loved both girls like the daughters God had not sent her through birth or adoption. April, Gail's daughter through marriage, would occasionally join them as she was able and helped with hemming or worked on a project of her own. Gail cherished these afternoons of feminine activities after so many years of living in the virtual frat house of Johnston, Jake, Eric, Stanley and their friends.

Eventually, the domestic afternoons would come to an end – usually right at dinner time, when Stanley would arrive to pick up Bonnie. Gail, having put dinner in the crock pot earlier in the day, would ask Stanley and Bonnie if they would like to stay for dinner. Stanley would inevitably act surprised and then agree to stay. Gail and Johnston had played the role of surrogate parents for the two since their parents had died many years earlier, so it was a familiar connection. Gail would invite Heather to stay for dinner as well, and sometimes she would. It was during these dinners that Stanley and Bonnie came to be something like siblings to Heather, who had been an only child and had always missed the companionship that only siblings provide. Although she had grown used to the McCall family and their boisterous get-togethers, it was the intimate gathering of parents and siblings around the dinner table that soothed her soul the most. Sometimes, Eric and April joined them as well, and Heather grew closer to each of them. When she had been working so much with the Greens on the "Planning Ahead" committee shortly after September 11, she had felt the need to remain professional. Now, she felt like she could be herself, become one of the family.

"I'm pretty sure the stork dropped me off at the wrong ranch," Stanley declared one evening at dinner while they were discussing the 'Lights out Jericho' event that had taken place in August. "I love the Montgomerys, and Aunt Ginny & Uncle Walt are the best, along with my cousins, but they just aren't nearly as much fun as the McCalls are. Maybe Eric and I were switched at birth," he concluded, giving Eric a mock glare.

"Oh. No." Gail broke in with fervor, "I can assure you that Eric was born into this family. I lived through the nine months before he arrived. Plus, you two are a year apart," she said, shaking her head. "I saw you in the hospital just hours after you were born, Stanley, all pink and adorable. You had the loudest cry of all of the babies in the nursery. We know your mother would have her hands full!"

"Aw, little Stanley was pink and adorable," Heather interjected, elbowing Stanley, who was seated next to her.

"See, he had a big mouth, even then," Eric put in.

"Hey!" Stanley defended himself, "Of course I was adorable! And, aren't babies supposed to be pink?"

"Yes, Stanley," April reassured him, "babies are supposed to be pink."

"Your parents were happy when you finally started to grow hair around the time you turned two," Johnston couldn't help adding fuel to the fire, enjoying the banter.

"Oh, so he was bald, too!" Eric interjected, enjoying the opportunity to needle Jake's best friend and co-conspirator who had helped torment him all those years.

"He wasn't bald!" Gail cut in on Stanley's behalf. "His hair was just fine and blond, so you couldn't see it. And he had the biggest blue eyes."

"Yep, I was adorable with big blue eyes." Stanley said with a smug grin. "I'll bet I had all of the women falling over themselves to get to me, even back then,"

Bonnie had been following the conversation quietly, mostly reading lips with Stanley or Heather occasionally signing phrases to her. At this point she broke in sarcastically, "Sure, Stanley, that's why your social calendar is so full. You just keep telling yourself that, big brother."

Stanley threw his napkin at Bonnie, making everyone laugh, and then signed something to her that made her laugh, too. At 15, Bonnie enjoyed being considered an adult and was developing a dry sense of humor. For those that had known her as a sweet little girl, it was always a surprise when she made such acerbic statements.

By the Tuesday evening of Thanksgiving week, Heather was a nervous wreck. She had done everything humanly possible to prepare for the pageant the following day, but it was her first major production and she couldn't help but worry. She was also apprehensive about seeing Jake again. She thought about their Monday evening conversation as she drove to the airport to meet his flight from Denver. He had gone out of his way to reassured her that the pageant would be a huge success if for no other reason that the kids were cute and she had them in costumes. He had also tried to reassure that everything would be OK between them, that they would pick right up where they left off, but she still worried.

As Jake got off the plane, Heather noticed that his hair had grown longer – less of a military look now and more of a short haircut. He had a carry-on bag slung over one shoulder and carried a dozen red roses. He dropped the bag on the floor of the small waiting room when he reached her and pulled her in for a hug and chaste kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes.

"I've missed you," he said softly.

"Me, too," she said, with a nervous giggle. "I'm glad you made it back in one piece."

Jake laughed and hugged her again. "These are for you, for tomorrow afternoon," he said, presenting her with the roses. "I wasn't sure I would be able to find what I wanted in Jericho, so I brought them with me. I couldn't figure out a way to hide them from you, so act surprised tomorrow, OK?"

"Deal," said Heather with a laugh, burying her nose in the fragrant bouquet that was arranged with fern and baby's breath. "They're beautiful! Thank you, Jake," Heather said, giving him another hug.

Jake finally turned to pick up his bag. "I guess we could go home and get comfortable," he said, his arm still draped around Heather's shoulders as they headed toward the parking lot.

"So, are you going to come to the pageant tomorrow?" Heather asked once they were on the road.

"Of course," Jake responded with a puzzled look, "why wouldn't I?"

"Well, then pretty much everyone in Jericho will know you're back," Heather said. "I just wasn't sure where you stood with that."

"My family knows the truth. So does Stanley, and Jonah Prowse. Those are the people whose opinion I'm mainly concerned with; present company excluded, of course," Jake added hastily with a quick grin in Heather's direction. "I guess I'll think of something to say to everyone else."

The Kansas air was frosty, even for Thanksgiving. Both Jake and Heather were wearing gloves on the ride to the ranch, but their hands had found each other's and were clasped firmly. After Heather's reaction during the shower scene and her subsequent confession to having little experience with romantic relationships, Jake had recognized that whatever happened between them would probably be slow to develop and need to be at Heather's pace. Somehow, this realization didn't bother Jake as much as it might have in the past. He saw things in Heather that he hadn't seen in another potential romantic interest, and felt it would be worth the time it took to get to know her better.

Wednesday morning had Heather rushing off to school in an almost complete panic, worried that something would go wrong at the last minute. Jake had offered to spend the morning helping, but she had politely declined, saying his presence would probably be too much of a distraction. Jake hoped this was a compliment. Hope, Gail and Bonnie would be available to help, and Heather thought that would be enough.

Jake and E.J. filed into the crowded auditorium about 20 minutes before the pageant was due to start. Gail had saved seats for them near the front next to Johnston and her. From the looks of the audience, more than just parents had decided to attend. Jericho Elementary had never held a production of this scale before, and it appeared that a number of townspeople were curious to observe the results. Before Jake could reach the safety of his seat, he was waylaid by Gracie Leigh.

"Jake Green. Where have you been keeping yourself?" Gracie asked.

"I've been flying airplanes," Jake responded with a nod and a conspiratorial whisper.

"Oh! Is that a fact?" Gracie answered, filing the information away for later use.

Jake continued to his seat without further conversation, clutching the red roses he had brought for Heather.

When Heather stepped out from behind the curtain to welcome the guests, she was amazed at the size of the crowd and immediately began to worry that there might not be enough food.

"On behalf of the third and fourth grade classes of Jericho Elementary, I would like to welcome you this afternoon and thank you for coming to our 'Friends from Foreign Lands' Thanksgiving Pageant. Today, we are thankful for our country, the United States of America, which welcomed our ancestors to her shore many years ago. We are thankful for our ancestors, who made great sacrifices to come to a new land in the hopes of creating a better life for their children. Without further ado, I present to you the children of Jericho."

Heather walked to the piano as the curtains opened to reveal 50 kids in various costumes. Heather played as the kids sang _My Country Tis of Thee_. Microphones were set up at either end of the stage and kids started to file to each microphone as soon as the song had ended. Alaina Murthy was first.

"My name is Alaina Murthy and my family is from India. My name means _dear child_. I am dressed as an Indian Princess."

Madelyn and Hope were helping the kids to line up behind their appointed microphone – third graders on the left, fourth graders on the right. Nick Cale was next.

"My name is Nick Cale and my family is from England. I am related to Benjamin Franklin, so I am dressed like him. He was an inventor and one of our Founding Fathers."

"My name is Jordan Moore and my great, great, great grandfather fought for the north during the Civil War, so I am dressed as a Union Soldier. I am proud of all of my family members who have served our great country."

"My name is Ned Montgomery and I am related to Billy the Kid. He was Irish. People who knew him described him as 'friendly, fun-loving and loyal'. He is a well-known figure in American history."

Heather and Hope had had quite a time putting a positive spin on Billy the Kid, who Ned claimed was his great, great uncle. The litany of children's speeches continued with brief applause after each until the last child, fourth grade Tess McCall approached the microphone dressed as the Statue of Liberty.

"My name is Tess McCall, and my ancestors came from many places. I asked to dress as Lady Liberty today because, to me, she is the symbol of welcome to all of the people who came to America seeking a new land, a fresh start, and freedom. The Statue of Liberty has been closed to the public since September 11 of last year when people tried to hurt America and take away her freedom. We will all be thankful when America is no longer threatened and Lady Liberty is open once again."

With that, Tess returned to the formation and Heather started playing _God Bless the USA_ by Lee Greenwood. The children sang the first verse, the chorus and the second verse, and then Madelyn motioned to the audience, saying "Please stand and join us."

And I'm proud to be an American  
Where at least I know I'm free  
and I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me  
and I gladly stand up next to you  
and defend her still today-  
'cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land - God Bless the USA!

Jake felt a familiar lump in his throat as he was singing. The song, originally written in 1984, had come to popularity in 1991 during the Gulf War. It had been his first year at college, and his first year in the Florida ANG. While he had not deployed, members of his unit had. He had been there when his fellow guardsmen left, and when they returned, thankfully unharmed. It had been a very patriotic time in Jake's life, somehow much different than the current war effort in the Middle East.

As the final strains of the song faded, Madelyn spoke again from the microphone.

"Thank you all for coming this afternoon! The children have brought snacks that represent their heritage to share with you all; they are available behind you in the cafeteria, we hope you will stay and enjoy the children and the fellowship this afternoon. You are all free to go whenever you are ready. Please have a Blessed Thanksgiving and a relaxing weekend with your families and come back safely next week."

A reporter from _The Jericho Eagle_ snapped a picture of the children on the stage just before they were dismissed. The audience was standing and clapping as the children surged down the steps of the stage toward their families. Members of the audience moved to join their children. Jake excused himself from the row of seats and hurried toward Heather, who was now standing by the piano beaming at her kids. He handed her the red roses for a second time in as many days.

"Congratulations on a very imaginative and touching performance," Jake said with a smile.

"Why, roses for me?" Heather asked with a look of astonishment. "I'm so surprised!"

Jake rolled his eyes at her and gave her a hug as they went to join the group moving toward the cafeteria for refreshments. Jake had noticed that none of the upper grade students or teachers had attended the pageant; he was relieved to know that he wouldn't need to avoid Emily today. They did manage to run into deputies Jimmy Taylor and Bill Kohler who had been out on patrol when they stopped in at the school to see what all of the commotion was about.

"Jake! What are you doing in town?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm just here for Thanksgiving," Jake answered. Bill was new to Jericho since Jake had left, so introductions were made.

"So, where have you been for the last year and a half?" Jimmy persisted, never one to be subtle.

"Language school," Jake said in a stage whisper.

"Oh," said Jimmy nodding owlishly.

"Oh," echoed Bill, nodding with the same owlish expression.

Jake nodded and excused himself, turning away and leading Heather in the opposite direction.

Once they got around the corner and away from the other people, Jake and Heather burst out in subdued gales of laughter.

"I told Gracie Leigh before the pageant that I'd been flying airplanes." Jake whispered when he could speak again.

"The truth, just not quite the whole truth?" Heather whispered back with a snicker.

"Yes, something like that," Jake said with another nod and a grin. "Let's get back there and taste some of this allegedly delicious food," he continued when he had himself fully under control once again.

They put in an appropriate appearance at the reception, and then helped to clean up as the crowd dispersed. Numerous parents and other members of the community had complimented Heather on the pageant, pleased that such a new teacher would come up with such an elaborate presentation. Heather modestly deferred the compliments to all of her willing assistants, without whom the pageant would not have been possible.

Eventually they were free to go. E.J. had departed earlier, leaving Jake to ride home with Heather. Once they had gotten into the car, Heather breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad I'm barely doing anything for the Christmas program," Heather said emphatically. "How do I get myself into these things, anyway?"

"Oh, you loved it," Jake said with a laugh. "Your kids were great and now everyone in town loves you if they didn't already. From what I hear, Miss Lisinski can do no wrong in Jericho."

"I think you've been listening to E.J. too much," Heather laughed.

"Well, I think he is a pretty good judge of character," Jake added with a laugh. "Are you in a hurry to get home, or would you like to go for a drive?" He asked, changing the subject.

"I don't have anything planned," Heather replied.

"OK, then, take a right here on Fifth, and then another right on Oak," Jake instructed her.

"You do realize it snowed during the night, and looks like it might snow again soon?" Heather asked curiously.

"We're not going that far," Jake reassured her.

It seemed unseasonably cold for Thanksgiving, and the snow had surprised everyone. They both had warm coats and boots on and Jake had stashed a blanket in Heather's trunk when he and E.J. had arrived at the school. They passed the medical center at the edge of town on their way north toward Route 83. Soon they were crossing the Salina River using an old covered bridge, and Jake was directing Heather to turn right again into a picnic area with a sign that read _Riverside Park_. It was a fairyland of winter trees with a dusting of snow. Heather parked at the far end of the parking lot nearest the river and they got out. Jake retrieved the blanket from the truck and took Heather's elbow directing her toward a snow-covered park bench overlooking the river. He opened up the blanket so it would provide them something dry to sit upon as well as something to wrap around their shoulders to keep the wind off.

"This has always been one of my favorite places to come in the winter," Jake told Heather. "If the river isn't frozen over, you can hear the sound of the water making its way downstream, see any brave winter birds that opt to stay rather than flying south, and occasionally see squirrels or other little woodland creatures looking for a few last nuts to store up for winter. In the other seasons, it's a totally different place, filled with picnicking families, kids splashing in the water, or teenagers trying to get away with something. Look," Jake pointed, as a pair of cardinals landed in a nearby tree; the male bright red with black markings, the female a more demure brown with red and black markings. Jake pulled a cookie out of his pocket and crumbled it up, tossing the crumbs on the fresh crust of snow in front of where they were seated. The pair chirped between themselves for minute, then fluttered down and politely ate the cookie crumbs before returning to their place in the tree where they were perhaps contemplating a nest.

"They are so beautiful!" Heather observed. "Thank you for bringing me out here. Maybe we can come again in the early spring to see if they made a nest?"

"Sure we can," Jake agreed. "Every time I come out here, I see different things. It can be very relaxing to just sit and wait for the animals to arrive. Are you warm enough? I'm starting to see snowflakes falling; we'd probably better head back."

"Yes, I guess so. I have to make a pumpkin pecan cheesecake and a jelled salad for Thanksgiving Dinner at your parents tomorrow, also, so I will have my evening cut out for me." Heather said reluctantly. She could easily have sat for hours watching the trees and the river as well as any animals that happened along. She made a mental note to return when she was able.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own any of the original characters.

**Author's Note:** Hooray for constructive feedback! Again, it was anonymous, so I have to respond here if I am to respond. I think I said at the beginning that this story would be slow and full of detail, no cliff-hangers or angst, but I agree, it does seem to be dragging a bit. I can try to liven up the pace.

That said, I'm not exactly where we will be by the time the bombs go off because so many things will be different. My 14yo son (and biggest fan) had a fit when Heather and Jake got together. Apparently, in his mind, life ends when one gets married (?). I tried to reassure him, lol. He has continued to follow the story, so I guess we're OK. When I mentioned to him that everything would be different by the time the bombs drop, he suggested that Hawkins' truck runs into something as it enters Jericho and ~ poof ~ there goes Jericho, preparations and all. While it made me laugh, that is not my plan.

**Chapter XVIII: Thanksgiving**

**November 28, 2002**

Heather's cheesecake and salad turned out well; as did the pies Hope had volunteered to make for Thanksgiving dinner. April was bringing homemade rolls and green bean casserole while Gail was cooking the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. They arrived at the Green home at one, just after Stanley and Bonnie Richmond. The food for dinner was taken to the kitchen, and then everyone bundled up and returned to the front yard for the traditional game of football. As he had done last year, E.J. pulled a whistle out of his pocket and put the cord holding it around his neck, giving a sharp blow to try it out and get everyone's attention.

"Eric and Stanley can be team captains like last year," he declared, "I'll flip a coin to see who chooses first."

Eric won the coin toss and, surprisingly, chose Jake first. The rest of his team consisted of April, Heather and Bonnie. Stanley's team was made up of Gil, Johnston, Hope and Gail. The teams were fairly evenly matched and neither scored during the first half. The ladies went inside to check on dinner and warm up during half-time, leaving the men to come up with strategies. The temperature was dropping and it looked like more snow was on the way. Whoever scored first would likely be declared the winner of the game.

When the second half of the game started, Stanley's team had control of the ball. Gail was the quarterback, quickly passing the ball to Hope while Gil and Johnston blocked the pass from view.

Stanley made a commotion, shouting "I'm open, I'm open," causing both Eric and Jake to head in his direction to provide cover.

Hope, in the meantime, sprinted across the grass and toward the end zone almost unnoticed. April and Heather started after her, but it was too late. She had scored and won the game just as fresh snowflakes began to fall.

"Touchdown!" E.J. shouted, blowing his whistle.

Stanley and Gil, hooting and cheering, ran across the grass and lifted Hope carefully onto their shoulders. They did a victory dance as they carried her toward the house, Johnston and Gail laughing and cheering along with them. The other team followed, still scratching their heads over how they had missed the pass. Heather was just remembering that Hope had run track in high school and participated in several races in college. Apparently Stanley's team had capitalized on that fact, and the fact that no one expected the pregnant lady to really participate in the game. They all laughed as they realized they had been duped.

Once they had warmed up inside, reliving the highlights of the game, Stanley and Bonnie left to have Thanksgiving dinner with their Aunt Ginny and Uncle Walt. Everyone else changed, washed up and prepared for dinner. Gail had set the table earlier; now she and the other women brought the food to the table and everyone was soon seated.

"Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your bounty on this Thanksgiving Day," Johnston prayed after everyone joined hands around the table. "We thank You that we are all able to be together to celebrate this holiday and pray that You will bless and keep us in the days and weeks ahead. We thank you for the meal we are about to eat and for the hands that prepared it. We pray these things in Jesus name, Amen."

A chorus of 'Amen's went around the table as everyone started to serve their plates and pass dishes of hot food. There was a moment of silence as everyone tasted their meal followed by compliments to creators of the various dishes. Finally, enough dinner had been consumed for conversation to take place.

"So I hear you're going to have a winter disaster drill at Christmas," Jake began conversationally.

"Yes," Johnston replied, waving his fork emphatically, "and do you know what I just found out? Jericho isn't processing any of its own meat these days. Apparently, after the Grogans bought the hog farm from the Jenkins family in the spring, they refused to process meat for the town, so the townspeople started taking their meat to New Bern. It wouldn't ordinarily be an issue, but we've been hearing more and more rumors out of New Bern that lead me to believe they will never want to partner with us in a _Catastrophe_ situation."

"Who are the Grogans and where did the Jenkins go?" Jake asked with a puzzled look.

"The Jenkins went to live with their children - New Mexico, I think," Gail put in. "The Grogans are an odd family. They are an older couple with two young adult sons who don't mix much with the rest of the town. Rumor has it that the boys aren't completely right in the head, but I've never seen them. For that matter, has _anyone_ ever seen them?" Gail asked.

"I haven't," Johnston said, as everyone else around the table shook their heads as well. "The boys are technically adults, over the age of 18, so I never pursued the situation. Some people just like to keep to themselves. Maybe it's time I paid them a call to make sure everything is above board. I'll ask Marian if she knows anything first."

"It's easy enough to butcher a deer occasionally," Jake broke in, "but having to hand-process all of the meat for the town would be a real impediment, especially without electricity and hot water. What are the options?"

"I had heard we sent the cattle and a hog from the ranch to New Bern for processing when we butchered last month, but I didn't know the reason." E.J. commented. "Is the equipment still at the hog farm, or did the Jenkins sell it?"

"That's one of the questions I plan to ask," Johnston replied. "I only just learned of this yesterday afternoon when one of the farmers made a chance comment."

"I've heard of some towns that have a mobile butchering truck that come right to your ranch," E.J. said thoughtfully, "The truck uses a hydraulic lift to hold the beef while the hide is removed, and the carcass is cut in half. They rinse it all down, then tag it with your name and move it to the back of the refrigerated truck before going on to the next farm. At the end of the day, they take all of the beef back to the processing plant where the rest of the work is done. You can pick up your meat in neatly labeled paper-wrapped packaged a few days later. That would be the ticket if we could start a system like that around here."

"Interesting," Johnston said, nodding thoughtfully. "I want to contact Cedar Brook to see what they are doing. With any luck, we can work something out with them. Or find someone here locally who wants to learn the trade and can use the Jenkins' equipment, if it is still around."

That meat processing topic having run its course, Heather took up the topic of water storage. After the pumping station scare during the "Lights out Jericho" drill, Heather had begun to re-think water storage.

"I still believe our water source is safe, and that we should be able to pump it up with our solar and wind energy, but I have begun to think that each family storing water in some quantity would be a good idea. The unexpected happens all of the time. What if we had not been able to easily fix the pumping station problem? We would probably have had to cancel the whole drill. Everyone filling a few juice or soda bottles with water and keeping them in a cool, dark place is just one more layer of security that is pretty easy to accomplish."

Everyone was in agreement with Heather's suggestion, so she ventured on to the next topic on her list.

"When I first met E.J., he mentioned the slowly dwindling population of Jericho due to lack of jobs and things to do. Hope and I have been mulling this situation over, and have come up with a few ideas. I understand there is a natural hot springs south of town?"

"Yes," Johnston agreed warily, already not liking anything that would change the hometown feeling of Jericho.

Heather was aware of Johnston's stance and moved to reassure him. "I was thinking about a bed-and-breakfast. I stayed at the Jericho Motor Inn when I moved here last year, but a B&B would have been so much nicer. Guests could take advantage of the hot springs. I was also thinking about a golf course, but didn't think it would be such a popular idea in Jericho. But, that started me thinking about golf carts. They could easily be charged with the solar and wind we have, and they can travel up to 15 miles per hour. They would be a terrific means of transportation even now to travel around Jericho, and would be golden if and when _The Catastrophe_ happens. We use batteries a lot like the ones they use for golf carts now to store power. It would really compliment what we have already started."

Hope took up the explanation, "Jericho reminds me of some of the quaint towns we liked to visit when we lived on the west coast. They are popular getaways full of antique shops, charming eating places, and little stores that sell things that the local people have made like preserves, bird houses, candles, hand-knit sweaters, etc. Our favorite was the historic gold rush town of Julian, near San Diego; they have the best apple pies! There was also Solvang near Santa Barbara, which has a Danish theme, Leavenworth, in eastern Washington, which is a Bavarian Village, and Fredericksburg, a German town in the hill country of Texas."

Heather began speaking again as Hope stopped to take a breath, "All of this would fit in nicely with the new skills we are all learning - for example, we can practice making candles and have them for sale in the store. It would be instant gratification in addition to the delayed gratification of knowing how to make candles for _The Catastrophe_. I was thinking that we might open one store to begin with and allow people to sell their goods on consignment. Maybe we could use the empty storefront on Main Street across from the church?" Heather gave a hopeful look around the table, trying to judge the reaction.

Eric was the first to speak, "April and I went to Julian once when we were visiting her folks in Phoenix during grad school. We went to San Diego for the weekend and stopped in Julian for lunch on the way back to Phoenix. You're right, it's a great little town, and they have the best apple pie. I think you would like it, Dad," he said thoughtfully, "I could see Jericho going that direction."

"Oh," said April, "I love Julian. We always stopped there when we went to San Diego, that's why I made Eric take me there. Sometimes we would stay at the old B&B the Julian Hotel overnight. It's great all year round. Winter is snowy and cozy and romantic, spring has great weather for hiking and looking for all of the blooming flowers, it's very patriotic during the summer - 4th of July Parade, farmer's markets, and the Julian Gold Rush Days, and fall is the best - Apple Days, fall colors and crisp air. That would be an interesting idea for Jericho to think about. There's nothing commercial there, it's all unique and country."

Hope picked up the conversation again, "Other than the vegetable stand at the Richmond Ranch, Jericho doesn't really have a Farmer's Market, does it? Having one would be a good idea for the residents, and be something great to offer to visitors as well. I think one could avoid all of the health department requirements of using professional kitchens by selling home-cooked items like jam, bread, cookies and so on at a Farmer's Market rather than in a store, I'll have to do a bit more research. Locally bottled beer and wine is also very popular in these kinds of places if any of the local folks were interested in learning that craft. I'm sure that would come in handy after _The_ _Catastrophe_, as well," she said with a laugh, nodding at the wine glasses on the table.

"Lastly," Heather hurried on while Johnston sat speechless, "Hope says there is a growing interest on the part of folks new to the sustainable lifestyle who want to come and spend a weekend or more learning about how things are done. If we get to that point, and without tipping our hand OPSEC-wise, we could open the B&B to people who wanted to come here and learn the things we have already learned about solar and wind energy, gardening, canning and what not." Heather turned to Johnston, "I know this is a lot to take in at once, Sir, and I really hadn't planned to dump it all on you during Thanksgiving dinner. We just got started and it all came out." Heather was breathless from trying to say everything without interruption, and now waited anxiously for Johnston's reaction.

Everyone had finished eating while the conversation had bounced around the table like a ping pong ball. Gail had stood briefly to retrieve an atlas from the bookshelf and was looking at a map of the western United States.

"I think," Gail started absently, still looking at the atlas and starting to mark a route with a pencil, "that we should see some of these places before coming to any hard and fast conclusions. It sounds like each one has its own unique character, as would Jericho. When we go to visit Jake in Monterey, we could take the I-70 down to the I-15 and see this town of Julian you mention, then drive up the coast of California along the 101 toward Santa Barbara and see Solvang, and then on to Monterey. We haven't had a vacation in so long I can't remember. What do you think, Johnston?"

Those around the table each held their breath as they waited for Johnston's reply. They knew he would be the most likely detractor of the new ideas, since he had not been in favor of expansion in the past.

Johnston took a sip from his wineglass, looked around the table at the inquisitive faces, and finally spoke. "Aw, come on guys, you're looking at me like I'm the Grinch who is about to steal Christmas. Do you really think you have to gang up on me to ask me questions like this?" He chuckled, and everyone let out the breaths they had forgotten they were holding.

"By my count, you all have brought 8 new ideas to the table. Opening a B&B, doing something with the spring south of town that happens to produce warm water, getting golf carts for use in town, turning Jericho into a quaint tourist town, using the Madison building to sell figurines, opening a Farmer's Market, starting a brewery, and teaching sustainability clinics. Taking a vacation would make 9 items on the list. Does that sound about right to you?" He asked rhetorically. "I can't really come up with a 'yes' or 'no' answer that would cover everything. It sounds like a lot of thought went into this list, and I will be happy to consider each suggestion. Why don't you write up individual proposals with all of the details and I will take a look at them. It isn't that I'm against change, but I want it to be the right kind of change for our town. I agree with Gail, seeing some of these other towns will help give us a better idea of the potential. Out of this group, Hope and Gil, April and Eric have visited at least one of these towns. If Gail and I took the trip she proposes, that would make six of us. Jake, what do you think?" He asked, wondering where his oldest son stood on the whole topic.

Jake, who had been quietly taking in the whole montage, was just thinking to himself that Heather could probably sell ice to Eskimos with great success. Jolted from his reverie by Johnston's question, he spoke in generalities. "Sounds like a lot of interesting ideas. Heather was thinking about coming to visit me in Monterey over spring break. We could probably drive down the coast to see Solvang and Julian. What do you think, Heather?"

"Sounds good," Heather replied smiling at Jake, and vastly relieved that the Green family hadn't totally discounted the ideas she and Hope had presented. Turning to address Johnston again, she continued, "We'll put those proposals together for your consideration, Sir. I don't see that there is any hurry in implementing them, they are just things to think about. A lot of puzzle pieces that might be useful toward the longevity of Jericho as well as put us in a better position if and when _The_ _Catastrophe_ happens."

"Just one more thing, Heather," Johnston said sternly, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "If you call me Sir again, we might have trouble. Please, call me Johnston. Or Dad. You are dating my son, for crying out loud. I promise I won't bite. Even if provoked."

Heather's eyes had gotten as big as saucers, and now she giggled nervously. "Yes, S-, I mean Dad, I mean Johnston. It's a habit I was raised with, but I'll do my best to stop."

E.J., who had been observing the various interchanges with interest, broke in firmly. "Johnston! You are not to tease the girl. She couldn't be sweeter and she does not need you tormenting her."

At this, everyone laughed, and Johnston rolled his eyes. "Yes, Dad," he said in a repentant voice, making everyone laugh even more.

Snow had been falling softly and steadily during dinner, leaving Jericho covered in a solid blanket of white. As everyone got up from the table, Jake noticed the snow and the dark clouds that threatened to bring even more snow. He had hoped to surprise Heather with a plane ride the following day, but it didn't look promising now. In the meantime, the men had retired to the living room to check out the football game on TV and the ladies were clearing the table and starting dishes.

"Gail, the silverware is beautiful!" April exclaimed as she sorted dishes, "I don't remember seeing it before."

"No, I don't bring it out very often. It's been in the family for 5 generations. The set was passed down from E.J.'s grandmother, Evelyn Mott. Her parents received it as a wedding gift before they moved from Boston to Kansas, before Jericho became a town. Kansas was pretty rough back then, but from the stories I've heard. Evelyn's mother insisted on raising her family in a civilized manner. Even on a cattle ranch in the dusty Wild West, Hilda Mott raised her 7 children to have east coast proper manners. She kept her home in immaculate condition, having brought all of the accoutrements with her from Boston to maintain the lifestyle to which she was accustomed. Of course it was easier for her to do so since they had enough money to hire household help."

"Oh," said Heather excitedly, "Jake told me a little about Nathanial Green. What else can you tell us about the early days of Jericho?"

"Oh, it was a wild time back then. E.J. would probably tell the best stories, but I can tell you what I know. Gracie Leigh's family had the first mercantile; it was right there on Main Street, pretty much where Gracie's store is today. Leonard and Nora Leigh moved here from Savannah just before Jericho was founded in 1876. They went on to have 4 kids. The older 3 were girls, Martha, Alice and Minnie, and then they had Harold. Nora and the girls, as soon as they were old enough, did seamstress work. Ladies came from all around to buy dresses from them because Nora had come from Savannah and knew about east coast fashion. Apparently it didn't matter that she had lived in Jericho for many years. As Harold grew old enough, he was taught to run the store. None of the girls ever married; they lived in the quarters above the store until they died, doing seamstress work as long as they were able. I think Johnston remembers them. They had died by the time I moved to Jericho when we got married."

Gail took a break from her story to pour a cup of coffee. The younger women were listening with interest while they washed and dried the dishes and Gail put them away.

"Harold must have gotten married, then, to continue the family name?" Heather asked, wanting Gail to carry on with the story.

"Yes," Gail continued. "He married a girl from New Bern. Eunice something, I think. They had several daughters and one son, Vernon, who kept the store going and went on to be Gracie's father. Vernon and his wife Doris only had daughters. The older two left town as soon as they were old enough to move to the big city, leaving Gracie to help with the store. Vernon died about 10 years ago and Gracie has been on her own ever since. She hasn't had an easy life. That store meant the world to her family – more than she did, I sometimes think. Johnston tells stories about her and her sisters coming to the ranch to play when they were little, but as soon as she could push a broom, she had responsibilities at the store and couldn't play anymore. Her sisters were treated the same way; that was probably why they left town as quickly as they could. I think it's understandable if she is a little bitter.

"The folks of Jericho have not always treated the Leigh family well, either. Once Leonard and Nora died, with their southern charm and east coast airs, I guess the position of favored citizens died with them. Prohibition had a lot to do with it, also. The Temperance Movement began in the 1830's, and then in 1881, Kansas was the first state to have prohibition in its state constitution. The 18th amendment was passed in 1919, a federal prohibition on the consumption of alcohol. As I said, Jericho was pretty lawless back then. Leonard and Nora Leigh were used to the fine southern traditions of an alcoholic beverage now and again throughout the day, so they just made under-the-table deals with their suppliers and customers to continue as they always had. They even continued to supply the Bailey's Saloon, the front of which had been conveniently turned into a family restaurant for the duration while the basement became a little-mentioned Speakeasy. Rumor had it that Leonard had a still out at his hunting cabin, and bottled up much of the alcohol he sold. The Richmond family made corn whiskey and the Surry family made apple jack and apple brandy that was sold in the Leigh's store as well. No one was particularly bothered by these details until Harold's wife Eunice figured things out. I guess she came from a family of strict teetotalers in New Bern who were active in the Temperance Movement. It didn't make a lot of difference one way or the other to Harold, but he was stuck in the middle between his wife and the town. With his father in declining health, Harold made the decision to pull back on the booze production and distribution to pacify Eunice. This upset the Bailey family, who had been in town even longer than the Leigh's, and now had to start up their own still and look elsewhere for supplies. The townsfolk weren't too pleased, either. The Prowse family owned the livery stable and did all of the black smith jobs in town, including shoeing the horses. They also took care of the physical transportation of items that were traded between towns. Once Harold Leigh ended his part in the underground liquor business, Samuel Prowse was more than happy to step into the role. The townspeople already had their doubts about the Prowse family, but were able to overlook them in order to have regular shipments of alcohol, but the Leigh family was scorned and never really recovered. Even when Prohibition was rescinded by the 21st amendment in 1933, Eunice refused to allow Harold to sell alcohol again, forcing the townspeople to plan ahead and make their purchases from neighboring towns. Another small grocery store opened up about that time, and many thought the Leigh's would go out of business, but the prices of the new store were exorbitant, so they closed within the year and the Leigh's were safe. I think they finally started selling alcohol again after Eunice died in the 1960's, but the Puritanical views Eunice had brought with her on alcohol and child rearing had affected the next several generations of Leighs, making them very serious about work. And not easily able to enjoy life."

"Wow!" Heather broke in, enrapt with the story. "Bootleggers and moonshiners and a speakeasy right here in Jericho! I had no idea! Thank you, Gail, for telling us these stories! I'd love to hear more someday if you know more."

Gail, April and Hope laughed with Heather at her fascination with the history of the town.

"Just watch out, Gail," Hope put in, "This will likely be the topic on next year's Thanksgiving Pageant!"

"Oh, no." Gail responded. "We do not need to be airing our dirty laundry before the students and their parents! We'll think of nicer stories to tell."

By this point, the dishes were done and put away. The football game on T.V. had concluded and the men were starting to leak back into the kitchen looking for snacks. The snow had been falling heavier and heavier all afternoon, causing Gail to look out of the window and declare that it would not be safe for anyone to be on the unplowed roads at night, so a sleepover was in order.

Johnston looked out of the back windows and agreed, "Gail's right, no point in being out on a night like this. The weather service said maybe a few inches, but this looks like it will be a lot more before it quits."

"Oh, we can't inconvenience you like that," Hope declared.

"My truck has 4-wheel drive; won't we be OK getting home?" Gilbert asked at the same time.

"You could try if you had to," Johnston replied, "but since it's the first snow of the season and it's a big one, you'd be just as likely to drive off the road and get stuck in a ditch. The wind is blowing, too, so the drifts will be bad. All of the landmarks will be obliterated, especially in the dark and with the snow still coming down. Better to wait until the roads are plowed in the morning. This happens from time to time, we are prepared," he concluded, looking back at Gail.

"Oh, yes, we've had bigger crowds, believe it or not," Gail said with a laugh, passing out ingredients for s'mores and herding the group back toward the living room. "Eric, you and April can bunk in your old room. Hope and Gil can have the guest room, Jake and Grandpa can have Jake's old room. Heather, you can sleep on the day bed in the study. That room is always a bit on the cold side, so Jake can build a fire in the fireplace to warm it up for you. And we're all set! Enjoy the s'mores, get a good night sleep, and everyone can go home in the morning as soon as the plows go by."

"Thank you, Mrs. Green; can I do anything to help?" Heather asked.

"No, thank you, Honey," Gail replied, "just enjoy the s'mores. Thank you for your help with the kitchen."

The group sat around talking in front of the fire in the living room until the exertion of the football game caught up with them and they finally went off to bed. Jake built a fire in the study fireplace to keep Heather warm, and then went up the stairs to his room where E.J. had retired some time earlier.

Heather lay down, but couldn't sleep. She couldn't remember having had a happier holiday. While she was growing up, it was just she and her parents, and then she and her Dad after her Mother died. Since New York was so far away, they would usually visit her uncle and his family during the summer rather than over the holidays. She felt fortunate to be considered a part of this family. Her mind wandered and she considered where things might lead between her and Jake. He had always been a perfect gentleman around her; much different than the bad boy reputation he sported around town. But, then, Jake had a number of secrets. She hoped she was seeing the real Jake and not just a role he was playing.

The house was perfectly quiet except for the wind howling outside and the occasional crackle of the fire in the study. Heather was startled by the sound of a glass breaking in the kitchen. She pushed back the blanket and stood up; straightening the sweats she had borrowed from Gail's 'Lost and Found' closet. She quietly opened the door and looked down the hall toward the kitchen, laughing when she saw Jake perched on the counter, barefooted, with broken glass covering the floor beneath him.

"Hold on," Heather called quietly, "let me get my shoes on." She slipped into the tennis shoes she had brought for the football game and hurried toward the kitchen.

"I was trying to figure out how I was going to get myself out of this mess," Jake said with a crooked smile. "I couldn't sleep because Grandpa was snoring, so I thought I'd come down and get a drink of water, then try to sleep on the couch. With only the night light on, I missed the edge of the shelf and the glass went down."

Heather laughed with Jake as she turned on the overhead light and found the broom next to the refrigerator. She swept the glass shards into the dust pan, and then quickly went over the floor with a damp paper towel to get the small pieces that were harder to see.

Jake came down from the counter and helped himself to another glass for water, successfully this time.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Jake said, giving Heather a hug and kissing the top of her head, then he shivered. "Boy, it's cold down here once the fire goes out. Are you warm enough?"

"Yes, the fire in the study has it toasty and warm. Come sit with me, I can't sleep, either."

Heather got herself a glass of water and they went down the hall toward the study. They rearranged the blankets and pillows on the day bed and cuddled facing the fire.

"I was just thinking that this was the happiest holiday I've ever had," Heather began. "My family was quiet and reserved. And small. We never had a lot of holiday traditions, especially with my Mom dying when I was pretty young. Today was a lovely day; your family is a lot of fun."

Jake laughed. "It's interesting to see my dysfunctional family through the eyes of someone else. 'Fun' isn't anywhere near the top of the top of the list of words I would use to describe them, but I'm glad you had a nice day. Mom always has been a stickler for traditions. I think the world could come to an end and she would still insist on the Thanksgiving football game."

"Well, I think traditions are a good thing," Heather said emphatically. "It helps kids know where they came from, and what they can expect. Like the sleepover idea. How much fun is this? I'll bet you had the cool house as a kid, where all the other kids wanted to play."

"Well, yes," Jake said, "but I think that was mainly because my Mom wanted to keep an eye on me. Eric and I have never really been close, and Mom wanted to be sure I didn't leave him tied up in a shed somewhere. Things made a lot more sense when I found out I was adopted. The whole 'Nature vs. Nurture' argument took on a whole new meaning."

"So I heard," Heather said sympathetically. "You and E.J. seem to be close, though."

"Yes, sometimes I felt like he was the only one who understood me. It's a little better now that we're all adults, especially since you persuaded me to tell my family all of those deep dark secrets I had felt the need to keep for so many years. Eric and I are still a little rough around the edges, but I don't suppose that will ever go away entirely."

"I've gotten to know Eric pretty well, coming to Sunday afternoon dinners and all. He and April, Stanley and Bonnie, they have gotten to be like the siblings I never had. I don't know how your Mom puts up with us all sometimes; all the bickering and debating that go on. Your dad contributes, too, like he enjoys it. I can see where it might have been challenging to grow up in this house, but really, your family is the best!"

"Great. So where does that leave me? You fit in better with my family than I do. You clearly have them wrapped around your little finger. Maybe you don't even need me at all?" Jake asked in mock disappointment.

"Well, they're all well and nice, but I far prefer it when _you_ keep me warm," Heather responded, snuggling closer and initiating a brief kiss. "The last time we had this conversation, we agreed to get to know one another better. I know it's been long-distance, but how's that been going for you?"

"It has me wishing it wasn't long distance, that's for sure," Jake retorted. "And happy we only have a few weeks till I'm home again for Christmas! How about you?"

"The same. I know we haven't spent that much time physically in the same zip code, but I have really enjoyed our video calls. Between those and the things E.J. and your family have mentioned, I feel like I know you pretty well. Do you have any questions for me, since my family members aren't whispering my secrets in your ear?"

"How about this one," Jake started. "Are you always so sweet and innocent?"

"Oh, no," Heather started with a giggle. "I can be very stubborn when I think _my_ way is the _right_ way and things aren't going that way. When Hope and I were roommates, she bought me a bumper sticker that said 'Be reasonable, do it MY way.' That sums things up pretty well; but only on important matters. I usually don't sweat the small stuff. I can also be fiercely competitive. And fiercely loyal to my friends or a cause about which I feel strongly. I think I got those qualities from my Mom, because my Dad was just the sweetest man you would have ever wanted to meet. Do you have any more questions?"

The warmth of the fire was relaxing them both. Jake mumbled something along the lines of "let me think". Heather relaxed to wait for the next question, and soon they both were fast asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: **The characters that appeared on the CBS show don't belong to me.

**Author's Note: **This is the longest chapter so far; it has a lot of things going on. I hope you enjoy it! I had fun writing it.

**Chapter XIX: Early Snow**

**November 29 - December 1, 2002**

Heather stirred as the weak early morning sunlight made its way in through the window of the study and across her face. When Jake stirred, too, Heather's whole frame went stiff, obviously forgetting where she was, and that she was not alone. Memories of the previous night returned to her, and she relaxed again. She searched her memory in her half-awake state. The last time she remembered waking up curled in someone's embrace was before her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Heather had been 10. It had been far too long.

"Hey," Jake said, running a finger along Heather's face and smoothing back her hair.

"Hey, yourself," Heather responded in a sleepy voice, opening her eyes and trying to focus.

"Should I take a blanket and step out to the couch before your integrity is tarnished?" Jake asked in a soft voice.

"Maybe so," Heather said unhappily, "I wouldn't want to put the Mayor in a bad position. I know Jericho expects its single teachers to be of the utmost moral fiber," she concluded with a wry smile.

Jake leaned down and kissed her and then wiggled off the day bed, taking a blanket with him.

"We'll continue this later, OK?" He asked.

"Deal," Heather smiled and nodded in agreement.

He went to the window on his way to the door.

"Whoa, it really did snow last night! Looks like a couple of feet, with drifts to 4-5 feet. I see a lot of shoveling in our future."

Heather wrapped herself in a blanket and joined Jake at the window. The back yard was a winter wonderland wrapped in a thick blanket of snow. As Johnston had predicted, all of the landmarks were obliterated by white embankments.

"I'll make coffee, then let's get bundled up and go out to play, OK?" Jake asked lightheartedly.

"You're on. I haven't seen this much snow since I lived in New York! I'll be right out." Heather responded. She dug through the bag of clothing she had brought to wear for the football game, layering everything she had along with the things Gail had provided from the 'Lost and Found' closet. Soon she emerged from the den with cheeks flushed from the exertion of pulling on clothing and feeling like the kid from the _Christmas Story_ movie.

Jake laughed when he saw her, excusing himself to get dressed while she watched the coffee and started making cinnamon toast. The kitchen clock read just before 7am. The outdoor thermometer read 27F. Heather went to the living room to stir up the fire and add fresh logs to take the chill off the house. She could hear the sounds of the family stirring upstairs. She smiled to herself at the thought of the previous night and the conversation she and Jake had started. She'd been trying not to get her hopes up on the topic of Jake. Men like him didn't fall for girls like her. Girls who were bright and independent and didn't play along with the games society dictated. How could this fairy tale romance be happening to her, plain old Heather Lisinski, she wondered in amazement.

Heather's reverie was interrupted by the sounds of winter boots bounding down the stairs. Jake, Eric and Gilbert came into the kitchen to claim cups of coffee and slices of hot cinnamon toast. Heather popped more bread into the toaster oven as she heard April, Hope and Gail making their way down the stairs. Apparently Jake had passed the word about the snow party as everyone but Gail was bundled up. Gail stepped to the pantry and picked up a stack of buckets, handing them out. "The shovels are in the garage, but you might need these as well. They are great when you are making igloos and snow fortresses," she said with a knowing smile.

"Woohoo!" April hooted as she sprinted toward the front door. "Girls against the boys!"

April obviously knew something Heather and Hope did not, but they joined in the excitement and headed out the front door behind her, willing to follow her lead. She had made her way through the drifts to the north side of the yard, the higher ground, and started making a wall by packing snow into buckets and dumping them out on top of each other like one would make a giant sand castle. Hope and Heather followed suit. Soon they had a barrier about 3 feet tall and 5 feet across. April continued to work on the barricade, but instructed the other two to start making snowballs the size of grapefruit. As they worked, they chanced a glance toward their opponents. The guys were creating a similar barricade at the other end of the yard. Before long, a snowball came sailing across from the south side of the yard. It tipped the edge of the barricade and spewed snow in the faces of the 3 women, who responded with laughter and the return fire of more snowballs.

The Great Snowball Fight of 2002 was on. Eric ducked down behind the hedge and ran across the yard, flanking the girls' base. He picked April up and turned, only to fall face-first with her into a tall snow drift. It was mayhem from there as Jake and Gil made kamikaze runs toward the girls' embankment yelling, laughing, and throwing snowballs. E.J. and Johnston had made their way to the front porch and were watching the hijinks with amusement.

Gail had started a breakfast casserole and coffee cake when she came down stairs earlier and now stepped out onto the porch to tell the troops that breakfast was ready. She figured she would get more snow shoveled if the guests were well-fed.

The troops were happy to come in from the cold when Gail called. Boots and outerwear were shed on the way to the dining room table and everyone exclaimed how delicious breakfast tasted.

"It could be cardboard, and you all would think it was delicious, after all that running around in the snow," Gail said with a laugh. "I just hope everyone will be as enthusiastic about shoveling out the cars after breakfast."

"The plows are probably taking care of the highways now, and then will start on the side streets." Johnston announced. "Eric, if you're up for a drive later, I thought we could head out to the Grogan's place and check on things. Marian Frederickson said the couple's names are Ruby and Earl, and the boys' names are Clarence and Floyd; otherwise she hasn't met them or heard much about them."

"Oh, Johnston, you didn't bother Marian on a holiday weekend about such a silly thing!" Gail exclaimed.

"No time like the present," Johnston said, "and Marian never minds when I call her. No point in me sitting around all weekend when there are things to be done."

Eric and April exchanged glances. "Sure, Dad, I can go with you," Eric replied, aware that Gail wouldn't mind Johnston's company or attention on his day off.

"What needs to be done in the way of snow shoveling?" Gilbert asked, wanting to repay their host for the hospitality and good food.

"Well, you already took care of some of it by trampling the snow in the front yard," Johnston laughed. "Mostly, the cars will need to be dug out and the paths cleared up a bit. It shouldn't take too long. I know each of you will need to go home and do the same at your own places, so we won't keep you too long."

A chorus of "We're happy to help" went around the table as everyone enjoyed the hot coffee and the last of the sweet coffee cake.

The plows could be heard in the distance and seemed to be getting closer, so Hope helped Gail in the kitchen while the rest of the crew went out and shoveled for an hour before being excused to return to their homes.

On the trip back to the Green Ranch, E.J., Hope and Gil sat in the front of Gil's 4WD extended cab truck while Jake and Heather sat in the back. It was still cold, and the country roads were somewhat icy, but much easier to navigate than it would have been in the dark the night before. The group spoke about the fun they'd had, and their plans for the rest of the weekend. Jake would have to fly out of the Jericho Air Field around noon on Sunday to make his connections and be back to Monterey in time for classes early Monday morning. Just 48 hours left in Jericho for this trip.

Hope and Gil delivered E.J., Jake, and Heather to Green Ranch and kept going to their own place to see what kind of shape the storm had left it. Hope had a good-sized flock of laying hens that had been closed up in their barn before the storm started. With plenty of food and water, they should have done fine. She was a little worried about her greenhouse and the plants she was starting therein.

E.J., Jake and Heather made their way into the ranch house, the circle drive having been shoveled by the McCalls. E.J. went straight through the house and out the back door to check in with the McCalls to be sure everything was in order after the storm.

Heather had been sure to grade the work her kids had done and create the next weeks' worth of lesson plans so she would be free over the weekend if Jake wanted to make plans.

"So, what did you have in mind for the weekend?" Heather asked as Jake went toward the fireplace and started building a fire to take the chill off the air.

"Well, I didn't have snow in mind, that's for sure," Jake exclaimed with a laugh. "I was actually hoping we could borrow Grandpa's plane and go for a flight, but the weather hasn't been at all cooperative. I can't remember having this much snow at Thanksgiving before. Either it's just early this year or it's going to be a long, cold winter in Kansas."

"And you going back to sunny California in just 48 hours, you're all broken up about it, aren't you?" Heather teased.

"It's not too late, you could still come for your visit at Christmas," Jake teased back, "but there is something to be said for a snowy Christmas when you can get it."

"Yes," Heather agreed, "snow at Christmas is nice. And it really isn't that cold; 30° here is nothing like -30° in upstate New York. I'm good to hold off on my visit until spring break. Somehow it just sounds so sophisticated: 'I'll be going to Monterey for spring break'."

"Now don't get all sophisticated on me, that's not what I signed up for." Jake said with a laugh, sitting down next to Heather on the couch in front of the lively fire.

"And what exactly did you sign up for?" Heather asked, looking up at Jake and suddenly feeling timid.

"Do we want to start this conversation here, where Grandpa will be back soon, or would you like to drive back up to _Riverside Park_ and see what it looks like with a lot of snow?" Jake asked.

"I'm up for a drive," Heather said, "if you think the roads are clear enough."

"I think so, we can always turn around if not," Jake said as they bundled up again and he scribbled a note for E.J.

They started the drive north toward town, appreciating the snowy scenery that did not happen every year in Jericho. Jake soon broke the silence.

"So, you asked what I signed up for. Initially, it was to get to know you better. I think we've done pretty well at that, especially considering that it's been long distance. I'd like to go on to the next step."

Heather laughed. "And what would that be? Jake Green, are you asking me to go steady?"

Jake laughed, too. "Well, I hadn't thought about it in those terms, but yes. Heather Lisinski, will you go steady with me?"

"Yes, I will. And what exactly does going steady entail when we're our ages?" Heather asked, still laughing.

"Well, for starters, I won't run off with any blond California girls in bikinis if you won't take up with any of the local talent here in Jericho."

"Deal," Heather said. "So we'll be exclusive. What else?"

"Hmmm, I really hadn't thought through the terms. How about we let people know we're together?" Jake asked.

"OK," Heather said, "What did you have in mind? Placing an announcement in _The Jericho Eagle_? Tattooing 'Property of Jake Green' on my forehead?"

"Now those are some good ideas," Jake said with a laugh, which earned him a playful punch in the arm. "No. I was thinking more along the lines of being able to hold hands in public, show up together at functions, things like that."

"I think most everyone figured it out at the pageant, when you brought me the beautiful roses. But yes, I'm OK with that." Heather said. "Trust me; there isn't a line of men waiting to take me out."

"Good," Jake said emphatically, "Let's keep it that way! What about you, any requests for our new status?"

"Hmm, not that I can think of," Heather replied. "I did really like the roses, and the trouble you went through to get just what you wanted all the way to Jericho. Who would have guessed that Jake Green was such a romantic guy?"

"Just don't let that information get around town, OK?" Jake asked. "I have a reputation to uphold, after all. The town thinks of me as a brooding bad boy. I wouldn't want to disappoint them."

"Your secret is safe with me," Heather assured Jake.

By this point, they had reached _Riverside Park_. The parking lot had not been plowed and was piled high with snow drifts. Jake directed Heather to pull off the road onto the shoulder on the far side of the covered bridle and they got out, walking back onto the bridge. The bridge provided a little shelter from the breeze and cold. They were able to look out of the windows to the river below – lightly frozen over by the drop in temperature. The park lay silent below, the details obscured by the thick snow. There were no squirrels hunting for nuts today, just stillness.

Even though they were dressed warmly, Heather shivered a bit and Jake put his arm around her. He cupped her cheek with his free hand, looking into her eyes.

"Now that we've agreed upon the particulars of our new arrangement, I just want to tell you that I've never known anyone quite like you, Heather. You are the most fascinating woman I've ever met, and I can't stop thinking about you. When something happens, I can't wait to tell you about it. I look forward to talking to you every evening and telling you about my day. Hearing about your day and the funny things your students have said and done. Hearing the things that have happened around town and at the ranch. I love having you in my life, Heather. In fact, I love _you_. You don't have to answer; I know I kind of sprung this on you. It wasn't really how I planned for the conversation to go, it just slipped out. Because it's the truth. And now I'm babbling. Please, say something, Heather," Jake said, looking into her eyes for a clue as to how she was taking his declaration.

Heather felt her eyes mist up a bit as the words tumbled out of Jake's mouth. She took a breath to steady herself before she answered.

"I love having you in my life, too, Jake. And I love _you_, too," she finally said, smiling through tears that were forming in her eyes. "I never thought I'd ever feel this way about anyone, let alone have the feeling returned. I just want this moment to last forever." Heather reached up and kissed Jake as they huddled together by the side of the bridge for warmth. As cold as it was, neither wanted to break the spell of the moment and return to the car and their daily lives.

Finally they heard another car approaching in the distance and decided that exiting the bridge would be a good idea. They scurried back to Heather's car and wrapped up in a blanket as they started the drive back toward the ranch.

"Today is Friday. Are you up for dinner at the bunk house, or would you like to do something else?" Heather finally asked as she began to thaw out.

"Oh, I haven't been to a bunk house Friday night in ages. Do they still have a live band of sorts?" Jake asked.

"Oh, yes," Heather reassured him. "Complete with dancing. It's quite the social event. Hope and Gil sometimes come over as well."

"Well, then, let's go!" Jake replied enthusiastically. As much as he might want Heather to himself, it would also be fun to take 'his girl' out in public.

They returned to the ranch house in time for Heather to mix up a pan of brownies and put them into the oven before heading up to take a shower. When Heather came back down the stairs, Jake and E.J. were talking in the great room in front of a roaring fire.

"Apparently Mom and Dad called and invited themselves to dinner at the bunk house tonight," Jake said as he removed the brownies from the oven as Heather had directed.

"Oh, good," Heather responded, "your Mom probably wants to see more of you before you go back to California."

"I'm sure she does," Jake said wryly.

"Hope and Gil are coming tonight. I think Stanley and Bonnie are coming, too. Bonnie and Ellen McCall did a lot of bonding when they were helping to sew costumes for the pageant. They have been spending a lot of time going back and forth between the ranches. Everyone says it's a lot like old times when you and Stanley were growing up. But without the mischief." Heather replied, unable to stop herself from ribbing Jake.

Jake just rolled his eyes as Heather put foil over the brownies and they all headed out the back door toward the bunk house. Even though the weather remained cold, no additional snow had fallen; and the path was clear between the two houses. When Jake had helped Heather into her coat, he had noticed she was wearing a swishy dress rather than the usual serviceable jumpers and shirtwaist dresses she wore for school. He had made a mental note to ask her to dance during the evening.

The festive atmosphere at the bunkhouse was in full swing by the time they arrived. Gail and Johnston waved at them from a table where they were seated with Scout and Annie, and already eating. Stanley, Hope and Gilbert were sitting at a different table in the middle of an animated conversation. Heather took the brownies to the kitchen while E.J. headed toward Gail & Johnston's table and Jake headed toward Stanley's. She ran into Madelyn and Erin in the kitchen with their little ones.

"So," Madelyn started in on her, "you and Jake, huh? How's that going?"

"Yes, spill the beans. We want to hear all the details!" Erin chimed in.

"Well, as of today, we're 'going steady'," Heather told them with a laugh.

Madelyn looked at her quizzically. "Um, what does that mean?"

"We're seeing each other exclusively, and it's OK if we tell other people, as best I can tell so far. We're still working out the details." Heather replied. By giving the daring duo carte blanch to spread the word, the news would be all over town by morning. That ought to make life interesting, she thought ruefully.

Heather placed the brownies with the other deserts and made plates for Jake and herself, guessing on what he might be interested in eating. It looked like someone had already provided E.J. with a plate while she was being interrogated. She made her way across the room.

Apparently Gil was trying to talk Stanley and Jake into coming over for a painting party the next day. Now that Hope was pregnant, she shouldn't be exposed to the fumes, so painting the inside of the house had come to a standstill. They were laughing, but it didn't sound like either Stanley or Jake was buying Gil's routine.

"Oh, come on over," Hope was saying, "Heather and I will cook you dinner, won't we Heather?"

Heather looked at Jake as she handed him his plate of dinner. He shrugged.

"I guess we could come for a few hours in the afternoon?" Heather said hesitantly.

"OK," Stanley finally agreed, "but I'll have to reschedule my hot date. Anything I can do to help my good friends."

"Your good friends who provide botany and veterinary consults, that is," Hope replied, playfully punching him in the arm.

"Well, yes, there is that," Stanley readily admitted with a laugh.

"Good. So we'll expect you around noon." Gil said confidently. Turning to Hope, he asked if she would like to dance. The music had picked up and a few other couples had made their way to the open space that served as a dance floor.

"I'm so glad they came to Jericho, and that they fit in so well," Heather said, smiling after her old friends. "I've made so many great friends here in Jericho, but it's nice to have friends from before, too."

By this point, she and Jake had finished eating. Stanley had wandered off to chat with Will and some of the ranch hands.

"I like the dress you're wearing tonight," Jake said. "It looks like it was meant for dancing."

Heather blushed and looked down. "Well, my wardrobe was kind of pathetic, so Hope and I went shopping in New Bern a few weeks ago. I got a few things. This probably wasn't meant to be worn on a snowy night, but I wanted to look nice for our first evening out as a couple."

"And you succeeded. You look very nice; like you should be dancing. Shall we?" Jake asked as he stood up and held out his hand.

She took his hand and stood up.

"I have to tell you, I'm not very good at dancing." Heather confessed.

"Neither am I," Jake replied. "We'll just have fun, OK? I don't think there is a contest tonight."

"OK," Heather giggled as Jake led her to the dance floor.

The musicians were just finishing a faster song as they reached their destination, and then started The Righteous Brothers' _Unchained_ _Melody_. Heather had been only 11 when the movie _Ghost_ had come out in theatres, but she had eventually seen it; several times. She put her arms around Jake's neck and they swayed slowly together as the haunting music played. The rest of the room was forgotten as they enjoyed the music and each other. The rest of the room, however, had not forgotten them. They kissed briefly as the last strains of the song played. When they looked up, the whole room was watching them and clapped as they quickly made their way back to their table.

Heather was mortified, but Jake just laughed. "They're just happy for us." He insisted, as Heather turned various shades of beet red. "I guess the cat's out of the bag, now, hmm?" he asked.

"I guess you're right," Heather finally replied, trying to see the humor in it. It was official. She and Jake Green were now an item. She wasn't imagining it. She was still a bit stunned, but happily so. She smiled and quickly kissed him again. "Thank you, Jake, for making me the happiest girl here tonight," she said affectionately. "There is no where I'd rather be, and no one else I'd rather be spending my time with. You make me happy."

"I aim to please, Ma'am," Jake responded in his best cowboy drawl, earning him an eye-roll from Heather.

The other occupants of the table had returned. Jake and Stanley went to get desert and coffee for the group.

"So, the dress worked?" Hope asked Heather.

"Looks like it did," Heather laughed. "Maybe it worked a little too well."

"No such thing," Hope shook her head. "We'll be shopping for wedding dresses in no time at all, you mark my words."

Heather's eyes shot open as she looked around, hoping no one else had heard Hope's declaration.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, OK?" Heather asked, imploring her friend to keep her voice down. Of course the noise in the room was such that no one could have heard anyway. Gil just shook his head and laughed at the feminine conspiring that was going on around him.

The group enjoyed desert and a few more dances before they went their separate ways home. E.J., Gail and Johnston were sitting in the great room talking when they walked into the ranch house.

"Jake, your Dad needs to talk to you," E.J. explained as they entered the room and took seats.

"Eric and I went out to the hog farm this afternoon as we discussed at breakfast," Johnston began. "Good thing we did. Something smells suspicious out there, and it isn't the hogs. Ruby and Earl Grogan were there to greet us, but it took a lot of convincing for them to go get Clarence and Floyd, their sons. Whoever said those boys weren't right in the head was correct, but there's more to it than that. I can't put my finger on it, but both Eric and I feel like something peculiar is going on. When I asked where they had come from, they said the Oklahoma panhandle. When we asked if they planned to start up the butchering business again, they said they weren't, not even to sell the hogs they have now to the community. Eric asked why they had bought a hog farm with a meat processing plant and all the equipment if they didn't plan to continue the business. They dithered, couldn't come up with a direct answer. Couldn't say why they came to Jericho, either. They said they don't know anyone here.

"Eric made up a story about needing to take their pictures for town records, said it was mandatory. They weren't too happy about it, but eventually he talked them into it. Considering how tough it was to get them to produce the sons for us to meet, we wanted to get photos while they were in front of us. We welcomed them to town and got out of there – they obviously weren't going to tell us anything else."

"So where do I fit in to this story?" Jake asked, now curious.

"Well, I had Jimmy Taylor run their names when we got back to town, but nothing showed up. As in _they don't exist_ nothing. Turns out they paid cash for the hog farm – the Jenkins were willing to accept less than it was worth because they were anxious to retire and it had been on the market for a while with no offers. Jimmy couldn't find driver's licenses, birth certificates or anything of the sort. They didn't have any vehicles in plain view, so we couldn't run plates. I called down to Oklahoma. Spoke with the Sheriff of Cimarron County. Population is only three thousand and he knows most of the folks. This family didn't sound familiar to him or his staff. Spoke with the Sheriff in Texas County. The population there is about 20,000, so he made some calls and got back to me. No record of folks with that name or description. I got the same answer from Beaver County, population six thousand.

"Now I'm all for people who want to make a fresh start, but I've met a fair number of people in my day and this family wasn't right at all. Jake, is there anyone you could contact at the Bureau that might be able to help us – off the record, of course? I don't want to ruffle their feathers or interfere with their civil rights, but it would be nice to know that they aren't running from a crime in another state. They spoke with a southern accent. Not country, like Oklahoma or Texas, more like Judy Moore – Louisiana or Mississippi. The sons barely spoke 2 words between them, but I would not want to meet them on a dark street. They are great big fellows, probably six foot five, and three-fifty. The parents seemed like they were trying to hide something or protect the boys in some way. I just can't see them having been bullied or tormented or, but maybe I'm wrong. Eric can send you the photos in case they are needed."

Jake and Heather had been listening with interest. Jake couldn't help but smirk to himself that his Father was coming to him with this request when, just a few short months ago, Johnston had been convinced that Jake was on the wrong side of the law himself. Then Jake took his attitude in check, realizing that it was his own stubbornness that had put his Father in that position.

"Sure, Dad, I could make a few calls," Jake said hesitantly, trying to think about where to begin.

"There's no particular rush," Johnston reassured him. "Nothing that needs to be done this weekend, we just weren't sure if we would see you before you left on Sunday. I just figure, what's the point in having my son be a fed if I can't ask for a little support along the way, you know?"

It was Johnston's subtle way of showing pride in Jake's accomplishments. Jake gave him a crooked smile.

"It sounds good to me, Dad. I'll look into it next week and let you know if they turn anything up, OK?" Jake responded. "Apparently, we're going to a painting party at the Bennett's tomorrow and staying for dinner that Heather and Hope plan to cook. My plane leaves the airfield at noon on Sunday, so I probably won't see you again until Christmas vacation. The last day of classes is December 11, so I'll be back in Jericho in just 12 days now, but who's counting?"

Jake and Heather had been holding hands since they had taken off their coats at the back door. Gail hadn't said a word, but sat beaming at the two as the conversation went back and forth. Jake now noticed her attention.

"Mom, you can stop looking at us like that," Jake said, rolling his eyes.

"I will when you tell us about whatever it was that went on at the bunk house tonight," Gail replied with a smirk of her own.

"We had a talk this afternoon. We are going steady, whatever that means. We're dating. OK? Does that answer your question?" Jake asked, mildly exasperated.

"Yes, Dear, that's all I wanted to know. We're happy for you." Gail stood up as she was talking. "We should really be going, it's getting late."

Apparently Gail, having gotten her answer, was ready to allow Heather and Jake as much alone time they could fit in during his break from school. Johnston rose as well, a bit confused, but ready to head home. Jake and Heather stood as well, Gail hugging each of them and Johnston hugging Heather and shaking hands with Jake. Jake couldn't help but wonder if his Mom had been this way with Eric and April. It was a wonder they had ever gotten married, he thought. E.J. just sat chuckling smugly to himself while Jake and Heather saw Gail and Johnston to the door.

"Well, that was awkward," Jake said as he and Heather returned to sit down.

"Your Mother just wants the best for both of you," E.J. said, "and she happens to think that the two of you together is a good thing. I can't say as I disagree with her." E.J. paused "Well, I should be getting to bed, too," he said as he got up and went toward the hall. "Good night!"

"Good night, Grandpa," Jake called, still shaking his head.

"Good night, E.J.," Heather echoed. Turning to Jake, she continued in a quieter voice. "I think it's cute. They love you and want you to be happy. I just hope I can be the one to do that. Make you happy."

"You already do. I already don't want to get back on that plane. Twelve days is entirely too long. Maybe I could just stay here; maybe they wouldn't miss me," Jake wondered idly as they snuggled on the couch.

"As much as I like that idea, I don't see it working. Face it; you're an unforgettable kind of guy. They'd miss you right off," Heather teased him.

"Well, I'm glad you find me unforgettable," Jake said with a chuckle, nuzzling Heather's neck. He had been trying to bring up a personal subject, but was still searching for the right words. "So," he started hesitantly, "I'm guessing by the things you told me about your dating history that there may be some activities you haven't participated in?"

Heather had her head buried in Jake's shoulder. She froze as he asked the question she had been waiting for. "That's correct. I was brought up to wait until I got married to take part such activities. I've been waiting for you to ask; I didn't want to be the one to bring it up and spoil the magic. Will this be a problem?"

"No problem, just seeking clarification." Jake said, relieved when she relaxed against him again. "But you know what this means," he asked playfully, tipping her chin up so he could see her face. "We'll probably have to get married," he said, trying to judge her reaction.

Now it was Heather's turn to be relieved. She'd had no idea how that sentence was going to end. "Well, we'll just see about that, OK Mister?" She replied playfully, snuggling closer. "No point in rushing into things; we have been on what, two whole dates?" She giggled.

"I wasn't asking," Jake clarified, with a twinkle in his eye, "just pointing out an eventuality. Furthermore, doesn't all that phone conference time count for something?" He asked, holding her close and laughing.

"Alright; you can have partial credit for phone conference time. You've only been back in school one semester and you already remember how to work the teacher for extra credit. I'll bet the teachers of Jericho were happy to see you graduate. Are there any still teaching that had you as a student? I'll have to get pointers from them on how to handle Jake Green."

"Oh, no, that probably wouldn't be such a good idea," Jake said emphatically, shaking his head. "High school was not the high point of my life. Taking freshman biology and discovering I was adopted almost did me in. Things were pretty ugly for a few years after that, until I got my head straight and realized I was probably very fortunate that my birth mother had allowed me to be adopted. Girls were starting to keep their babies and raise them as single mothers by the time I was born. I could have ended up like Dale Turner, living in a trailer park with a mom who works at the beauty shop; or I could have this overbearing, interfering family you have come to know and love. We don't always see eye-to-eye, but I am glad they are my family. The older I get, the more I appreciate them and what they did for me."

"So," Heather started, "every adopted person is probably asked this question, but I can't help myself. Do you ever think about looking for your birth mother? I mean, for the medical history alone, it would be important."

"Yes." Jake replied. "I knew it wouldn't make Mom happy, so I waited till I was in the FBI and could access records without raising questions. Rogue River is the only hospital in the area that does planned deliveries and the only one where Dr. Peterson has privileges. That made matters much more straight forward. There were only 3 babies born the day of my birth, and two were girls. Pretty much narrowed the field right down. I got the name of my mother name and a copy of her information sheet. She did not list the father – either she didn't know or didn't want to implicate him. I'll never know now. I researched her name and found that she had been killed in a head-on collision three years after I was born. She had graduated high school and was taking classes at Colby Community College to become a social worker. I guess my adoption had some positive influence on her.

"I looked up the address she gave in a small town south of Rogue River. A family by that name still lived there. I drove by the address and there was an older lady out planting flowers in the front yard. It was a small house, neat and clean, but showing age, and in a poor neighborhood. I sat in my car for a long time, trying to decide what to do. I didn't want to shake up her life, but I did want her to know that I had gone to a good family and that I am having a good life. I also wanted to know a little about my mother and the family. I finally got out of the car and approached her. She was very nice. We spoke about the flowers for a few minutes.

"But you're not here about the flowers, thought, are you?" she finally asked, looking down at her hands.

"No," Jake had responded, "I came to ask about Wanda."

"You're her boy, aren't you?" The lady asked. "You look just like her. Her Pa was awful mad when he found out she was pregnant; made her give you up for adoption. I would have raised you, but he wouldn't have it. Wanda never would tell us who the father was, afraid her Pa would kill him, I think.

"Wanda was a good girl," the lady continued, lost in thought. "She always wanted to help other people. She wanted to be a nurse or a teacher when she was little, but changed her mind and wanted to be a social worker after she had you. She was our only child, and now she's gone. The car crash that killed her might just as well have killed her Pa, too. He had a stroke the night the police came to tell us about Wanda and was never the same afterward. I took care of him as best I could. He never said another word after that night. Died in his sleep about 2 years ago now." The lady looked up at Jake, returning to the present after her musing.

"Thank you for telling me about them," Jake said gently. "Are you alright? Do you need anything? I hate to know that you are all alone."

"Oh, don't you worry about me," she said with a laugh. "I can take care of myself. Always have. I have my friends from church. We play Bingo on Tuesdays; we look out for each other. My neighbors have been good to me as well." The lady paused. "Probably better we didn't raise you. We didn't have much to offer. It's been plenty enough for me, but it probably would have been hard on another child to be raised in this house. How about you? Did you go to a good family?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes," Jake reassured her. "They are the best. I had a great childhood riding horses at my Grandfather's ranch and playing with all the ranch kids. Grandpa and I are very close; I have lived with him since I graduated college. I'm an airplane pilot. My degree is in Aeronautical Engineering."

The lady beamed at him through aging eyes. "Ah, smart like your Mother, too. She got her brains from her Pa, that's for sure. He probably would have gone to college if he hadn't been drafted and sent to Korea. Oh, they would be so proud of you!"

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'm Jake, by the way."

"I'm Sadie. Pleased to meet you, Jake," she said, pulling off her gardening glove and holding out her hand. Jake took her hand in both of his. She was tiny and appeared fragile, but he could tell she was tough.

"The pleasure is mine, Sadie," Jake replied with a smile. They just sat and enjoyed the silence for a few moments before Sadie spoke again.

"I suppose you want to know family history and what not?" she finally asked.

"If it isn't too much trouble," Jake responded, anxious for the information but not wanting to intrude on her privacy.

"No trouble," Sadie started in. "Vincent was half Italian and half German. That's where you and Wanda got your brown eyes and olive skin. It's where Vincent got his temper from as well, I'd say. I'm just plain old Irish. As for medical problems, they seemed to think that Vinnie's stroke was more from the shock of losing Wanda than from medical problems. They didn't have all the machines back then that they do now, so we really don't know. His blood pressure was high, I remember them saying that. I'm as healthy as a horse. My parents lived into their 80's and then died of natural causes, so I think it's only the blood pressure to be concerned with."

"Thank you, Sadie, I appreciate your time and your candor," Jake said, making no move to leave. "Would you mind if I came to visit you again?" He asked.

She smiled up at him. "I would like that very much, Jake."

Jake looked over at Heather and realized he had been talking for a long time.

"I've never told anyone about Sadie before. I went to visit her a number of times in the years that followed. I would try to take her something special each time I went. I knew she didn't have much, but she wouldn't accept financial help. I'd take her a basket of fruit, or a ham for her to share with her friends at Christmas. She always baked me peanut butter cookies. They were the best I've ever tasted.

"I was out of the country on a mission and didn't get to see her for a few months. The next time I was able, I called to arrange a visit, but she didn't answer. When I drove to the house, there was a 'For Sale' sign out front. I called the agent and he said she had fallen and broken her hip. She developed pneumonia while she was in the hospital, and died shortly thereafter. The agent asked if my name happened to be 'Jake'. When I said yes, he gave me the name of her attorney. The attorney said the selling price of the house and furniture would barely cover her hospital expenses and funeral, but that there was a large envelop marked with my name. He took my address and mailed it to me. It was full of pictures and family documents, like she had been saving them to give to me.

"Heather, I never got to say good bye to her. I never got to tell her that I loved her." Jake's eyes were damp by this time. It was clear that he and Sadie had made a connection and become friends.

Heather was touched by this side of Jake, and by his story. She squeezed his hand. "She knew you loved her, Jake. That's why she was saving the pictures for you. Think how much you enriched the last few years of her life. Think how happy she was to have known you; to have known that the adoption story had a happy ending. She loved you, too, Jake. Thank you for telling me about Sadie."

"I guess that is a better way of looking at it," Jake said, "I could have driven away that first day and never gotten to know her. I just wish I could have done more for her."

"It sounds like she was proud and independent," Heather said thoughtfully. "Your friendship was probably exactly what she wanted from you."

"And _that_ is what I love about you, Heather Lisinski." Jake said, giving her a kiss. "You help me see the other side of the coin." Jake paused and looked at the clock. It was nearly 3am. "I suppose we should get some sleep if we are going to get any painting done tomorrow."

Heather agreed and they made their way up the stairs.

The painting party went well on Saturday. The group was able to get more paint on the walls than on themselves, but only barely. They painted the nursery a sunny yellow and completed painting the entryway. Hope had shopped for dinner and done the prep work, so she and Heather had only to make a salad and put the meatloaf into the oven. Altogether, it was an afternoon and evening filled with friendship and laughter. Hope and Heather made Crème Brule for desert with eggs from Hope's chickens and cream from Stanley's cows. They felt very accomplished, especially when it was devoured and the guys declared it to be delicious.

Tired from painting and the late night previously, Jake and Heather excused themselves early and returned to the ranch. It had been a successful Thanksgiving weekend, and they were reluctant to see it end, but happy they had Christmas to look forward to in a little more than a week. They managed to get a few hours of sleep and make it to the Jericho Air Field in time for Jake's plane at noon on Sunday, promising to videoconference daily until they were together again. Heather returned to the ranch and took a nap, Jake napped on the plane; both thinking over the events of the weekend and what the future held for them.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **I'm borrowing characters not only from Jericho, but from Criminal Minds this chapter. It is not necessary to be a fan of CM, it just helps me to illustrate a bit of Jake's professional life to his friends and family.

**Author's Note: **There are no known hot springs in Kansas, so don't bother to look for them. I took a little artistic license and borrowed one from Colorado for purposes of giving Jericho another revenue source.

**Chapter XX: Research and Developments**

**December 1-12, 2002**

When Heather woke up from her nap on Sunday afternoon, she decided she should spend her spare time before Christmas putting together proposals for all of the ideas she and Hope had sprung on Johnston Green during Thanksgiving dinner. She started by making a list of all of the ideas that they had suggested, and dividing them up between her and Hope for research purposes. Hope could only do so much work in the greenhouse, after all, with it being so cold and snowy; she would need to go inside from time to time to warm up.

In the end, Heather's list included the bed and breakfast, the hot springs, golf carts, and renting the Madison building. She already had enough golf cart information to write the proposal, so she completed it and crossed that off her list. She thought starting with six golf carts would be good; one that would hold many passengers and the rest standard sized. Then she moved on to researching how to open a bed and breakfast. The other topics would require a trip to Town Hall to determine who currently owned the Madison building, the best location to make use of the hot springs, and if there were any existing homes that could be used to start the B&B. Soon she found herself falling asleep looking at the computer screen so she headed for bed.

Monday morning and the return to real life came all too early. Jake had had a safe trip back to Monterey and he attended his morning classes without incident. During his lunch break, he placed a call to the agent from Rogue River, Shawn Brinker, who was responsible for Bureau operations in western Kansas. He fulfilled his father's request of passing along information about the Grogan family even though he didn't imagine it would pan out. Brinker obligingly took the report, saying it didn't sound like any case he was aware of, but he would let Jake know if anything turned up. Jake mentally crossed the task off his list and returned to his daily activities, figuring this was the last he would hear of the Grogans.

In Jericho, the elementary school children were in full 'preparation for Christmas' mode. Heather was again grateful that she had taken charge of the Thanksgiving pageant and was primarily off the hook for the Christmas program.

After school, Heather stopped by Town Hall to do research for her proposals. Within a short time, she had determined that the old Cooper farm south of town might be a good location to start a B&B. No one had lived on it since the death of deputy Ridley Cooper's parents several years prior. He had been trying to sell the farm with no success. Even better, the back of the property was in the vicinity of the identified hot springs; it was entirely possible that another hot spring source would be identified on the farm itself. Heather thought Harry Carmichael, the geotechnical engineer from the salt mine who had made the trip to New Bern with her and Eric, would be a good one to ask.

Upon further research, Heather acquired yet another history lesson. Apparently, the Grange, also known as _The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry_, was traditionally an advocacy group for farmers. It was a fraternal organization of American farmers that encouraged farm families to work together for economic and political security. The Grange itself was founded in 1867, and the Jericho chapter was started by B.K. Madison in 1892. The building they had been calling the Madison building was actually the Grange Hall. In the early years, it had been used to hold secret meetings which included some of the rituals common to Freemasonry – oath-taking and the use of special passwords. More recently, the Grange moved toward public meetings, and membership dropped by 40%, causing the Grange Hall to become obsolete. The building had been used for short periods by various groups over the past two decades, but none recently. Heather found that Lillian Madison Montgomery had been the last person in Jericho to bear the family name of Madison, and was the current owner of the building. Heather thought surely she would be amenable to renting the building as a cooperative market.

Tired, and armed with enough information to complete her proposals, Heather made her way home in time to eat a quick dinner with E.J. and enjoy a leisurely videoconference with Jake.

The final days of the fall term passed surprisingly quickly. Heather completed her proposals and Hope completed hers, turning them in to Johnston at the "Planning Ahead" committee meeting on December 6. The committee relaxed its usual pattern of taking a break over the holidays to have one last meeting before the winter drill which had been planned for the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. This drill would last longer than the previous one – 5 days instead of 36 hours. The colder-than-usual winter would also be a factor which would make things more interesting. It had snowed again since Thanksgiving, and the temperatures had not risen enough to melt the accumulated snow. The younger members of the community were looking forward to a white Christmas, while the older ones shook their heads and couldn't remember such a cold and snowy winter.

Jake's classes ended by noon on the 11th, and he was at the airport shortly thereafter. He had a brief layover in Denver, so he turned on his cellphone to check messages. He was surprised when it rang almost immediately with call registering an unfamiliar D.C. number. He frowned, thinking it couldn't be a good thing.

"Jake Green," he answered professionally.

"Jake Green. It's been a while, man, what have you been up to? It's Derek Morgan with the BAU. You used to pilot our Gulfstream to cases, remember?" The jovial response came across the line.

"Derek, of course I remember you. How have you been, man? I've been working international for a while now, first South America, and then the Middle East. Um, did you just call to catch up, or is there something I can do for you?" Jake asked, clearly puzzled. He and the BAU team had always had a cordial relationship, but it never went beyond dinner after a case the dozen or so times he had filled in for their regular pilot.

"I'm actually calling about that tip you called in to Brinker. That family may be the set of unsubs we've been looking for in a string of brutal robbery/murder cases that stretch from Georgia to Oklahoma. The pictures you sent were helpful. The men have cleaned up considerably, but still fit the physical description of the folks we're looking for. Half of our team is finishing up another case, so three of us are flying in to the Jericho Air Field tomorrow morning to check them out. Will you be able to provide back up? And the local LEO's as well?"

"Yes," Jake responded, "You caught me at the perfect time. The Bureau has me in counterterrorism school in Monterey for two years, and I'm on my way back to Jericho for Christmas break. I'm in Denver right now; I'll be flying into the Jericho Air Field in a couple of hours myself."

"Great," Derek replied. "We would usually fly into Rogue River to pick up an SUV, but since Jericho has the capability, we'll fly straight there. Problem is, we won't have a vehicle. Think you could help us out there?"

"Sure," Jake said, "just text me with the time and I'll be there. You'll want to brief us first before the trip to the hog farm? I'll arrange a meeting in City Hall for that."

"Thanks, man," Derek replied. "We'll see you tomorrow."

By this point, the charter flight to Jericho was boarding, so Jake turned his phone off again and boarded the plane, laughing to himself about the turn of events.

Heather picked Jake up in Jericho when he arrived and he filled her in on the Big News in Little Jericho. Since it was close to midnight, he didn't want to awaken Johnston with information that would wait until morning.

As soon as Heather was ready for school in the morning, she and Jake left for town. They had borrowed a full-sized van from the McCall family to transport the FBI team around Jericho. It wouldn't be the shiny black Suburban with tinted windows they were used to, but it beat driving from Rogue River just to check out a tip. Jake dropped Heather off at the elementary school and proceeded to Town Hall.

Johnston, already in his office, was surprised by the appearance of his eldest son at such an early hour. Jake filled him in on the call he had received the previous afternoon, and the two walked across to the Sheriff's office to brief Sheriff Dawes and the deputies on what they knew so far and what would be likely to happen during the course of the day.

Jake received a text that the team would be arriving around 10, so he left to pick them up at the Air Field. He recognized Derek Morgan and Aaron Hotchner - Hotch - immediately, and was introduced to Jennifer Jareau - J.J. - who was new to the team since Jake had seen them last; she functioned as a liaison between the team and families or the press. It had been a while since Jake had worked in this capacity, but he had brought along his Kevlar vest and navy blue FBI windbreaker in case they were needed.

When they arrived back at Town Hall, Aaron Hotchner took control of the room, explaining to those gathered what they suspected, and how they planned to carry out the contact.

"By looking at the pictures and studying the profiles, we are fairly certain that these are the unsubs we are pursuing," Hotch stated. "We just need to speak with them briefly before we arrest them and risk having them clam up before we detain all of the members of the group. Our plan is for J.J. and me to call on them as neighbors and have a friendly chat, wearing wires of course. Once we have convinced them to introduce us to their sons, Morgan and Green can enter and the arrests can be made.

"We believe this group to have kidnapped and murdered at least 30 women over the last decade. The sons are not 18 and 19, as you have been led to believe, but are in their mid-20's. The father and sons are responsible for the kidnapping and murders. They started in a small town in Georgia, taking low-risk targets; single women who lived alone and who wouldn't be missed for a few days. The woman now calling herself Ruby Grogan is apparently the brains of the operation. She would take charge of their purses, cleaning out their bank accounts and running up charges on their credit cards within the first 24 hours of their captivity. They would coerce the girls into giving them PIN numbers with empty promises, then kill them a few days later once the men were done with them. The only reason we know as much as we do is that the last known victim – a girl from a small town in central Oklahoma – escaped their imprisonment and made it to safety. That's where our trail had run dry a few months back.

"We're thinking they realized the risk that she would talk, and continued on to the next state; changing their identities and appearances as best they were able. We think Ruby may have been reselling the items she purchased with their credit cards, stashing the money so they were able to purchase their current home in cash. One of the parts we fail to understand is why they purchased a hog farm since they clearly know nothing about such an operation. Perhaps we will learn the answer to that question during our visit with them.

"Are there any questions?" Hotch asked in conclusion.

Deputies Jimmy Taylor and Bill Kohler were standing off to the side of the conference room with puzzled expressions on their faces.

"We're confused," Bill started. "How did you know these people were here?" Apparently he and Jimmy had been sent to Baily's for coffee while Jake made the trip to the air field and Sheriff Dawes explained the presence of the FBI team to the other deputies.

Hotch nodded in understanding of the question. "Mayor Green paid a visit to the family since they had recently moved to town. He had concerns, and asked Jake to call them in to us."

Unfortunately, this did nothing to help clear the confusion of the two deputies, who had been told by Jake that he had been busy going to language school during his absence. In unison, they turned their confused faces toward Jake.

"I'll explain later, O.K. guys? Let's just get this done." Jake said to them in a stage whisper, although he could not conceal an eye roll from the group.

"Good, then we're set. J.J. and I just need a few minutes to prepare for our roles." Hotch explained, picking up the gym bag by his feet and heading toward the door, J.J. right behind him.

A few minutes later, Hotch and J.J. emerged from the public restrooms of Town Hall looking completely different. Hotch's usually well-coifed hair had been washed and was now relaxed and falling softly onto his forehead. He had discarded the suit and tie in favor of jeans and a heavy black sweater, the bulkiness of which concealed his Kevlar vest and the gun tucked into the back of his waistband. J.J. was also wearing a bulky sweater and jeans, with her hair pulled back into a pony-tail and much of her make-up removed. She pulled a tin of cookies from the bottom of her gym bag and declared that she was ready to meet her new neighbors.

Jake went with the three BAU agents to the borrowed van and they set up the communication system they had brought with them. Jake also took one of the radios from the sheriff's department so he would be able to advise them to move in if additional back-up became necessary.

When the both the FBI team and the local sheriff teams were ready, they proceeded right on Main Street, over the Tacoma Bridge, and southeast on Highway 83 for about 20 minutes until they turned left onto a gravel road and crossed the railroad tracks. The convoy stopped there to reconfirm the plan and stage the local team. With Hotch now driving, the van of FBI agents continued along until they reached the residence at the front of the hog farm. Morgan and Jake, concealed in the back of the van, did one last radio check before Hotch and J.J. exited the vehicle and proceeded toward the front door, holding hands and acting the part of a married couple.

Earl Grogan answered the door; none too pleased to have a second set of visitors within the week and determined not to allow them in. He was disheveled in appearance, despite his recent haircut to disguise his appearance. The faded overalls he wore displayed the stains of numerous meals across the front.

"Can I help you?" Earl asked in an unfriendly tone.

"Why yes, yes you can," J.J. answered, patting him on the arm and not appearing to have noticed the lack of welcome in his tone. "I'm Jennifer and this is Aaron, we're your neighbors to the east and just down the road a ways. I'm so sorry we haven't been by sooner, but here we are now with some home-made cookies, ready to get to know you all a little better. Where's your family so we can meet them?"

While she was talking, J.J. edged closer and closer to Earl Grogan, pressing the tin of cookies into his hands, but also not letting go of them either, so he took a step back and she took a step forward until both she and Hotch were inside the house. Earl appeared flummoxed by her lively introduction, shook his head, and walked out of the room mumbling something about going to get Ruby.

As Earl exited the room, Hotch and J.J. exchanged significant glances, and heard the voices in their ears congratulating J.J. on her performance.

"Go, Tiger!" Morgan exclaimed.

"If you can't dazzle 'em, baffle 'em, huh?" Jake said with a chuckle. Morgan had filled Jake in on that fact that while J.J. was a full-fledged FBI agent, having attended the Academy, she was not a profiler like the rest of the team, and usually did not participate in field work. The female BAU profiler was unable to come on this case because she had used deadly force on the previous case and was with the others completing paperwork. J.J. had insisted that she was capable of playing the role of nosey neighbor as called for in this case, and they were now inclined to believe her.

Soon, Earl returned to the front room with Ruby. She appeared brighter than Earl, with a faded but clean dress, an apron, and graying hair pinned back neatly. J.J. and Hotch had seated themselves on the edge of the shabby and somewhat smelly couch in their absence. J.J. rose when they entered the room and approached Ruby with the tin of cookies.

"I'm Jennifer, and I can't tell you how happy we are to have you as our new neighbors," she bubbled. "Now tell me what your name is? I just know we are going to be good friends."

"I'm Ruby, and this is Earl," she responded hesitantly, "but we don't have time for this. It's almost lunchtime, and the boys will be hungry."

"Oh, you have boys! I hope we have boys, too. What are their names?" J.J. asked in an overfamiliar manner.

Ruby was clearly uncomfortable, but unsure how to stop the friendly banter and regain control of her home. "The boys are Clarence and Floyd," she said, "and they really don't do too well with strangers."

"Oh, we're not strangers, we're your neighbors, and we're all going to be good friends. We haven't eaten yet, either, why don't we join you? You all can come over to our house next week for lunch, O.K.? Now why don't I help you in the kitchen while Earl gets the boys?" J.J. said confidently, having just invited herself and Hotch for lunch.

Ruby and Earl looked at each other warily; Ruby shrugged, and headed to the kitchen while Earl headed down the hall to what looked like it could be a basement door. Hotch stood and moved to a place where he could see J.J. and Ruby working in the kitchen as well as the door where Earl had disappeared.

Earl quickly returned, followed by his two sons. Both were as dirty and unkempt as their father. Earl was a large man himself, probably six foot three and three hundred pounds, but his sons were even taller and heavier. Even with Hotch's Martial Arts training, he would have been at a disadvantage against any one of them in a fight, let alone the three of them. Best to keep things on friendly terms, he thought to himself.

Hotch, speaking for the first time since they had arrived, introduced himself to the sons.

"Hi, I'm Aaron. We're your new neighbors, here to get acquainted. How are you doing today?" he asked, holding out his hand to shake. The boys just looked at him with dazed expressions, so he put his hand back down but continued the conversation. "You are one tall family. I'm six-foot-two, and I'm the shortest one in the room. You grow big boys here, Earl, what are they, six-five?" By mentioning the size of the unsubs, Hotch indicated to Morgan that the local officers would be needed for back-up.

"We're from back east – Pennsylvania, originally. Where are you folks from?" he asked, directing his question at Earl with the hopes of getting a better response than he had from the sons.

"Oklahoma. We're from Oklahoma," Earl assured Hotch, as though he had memorized the line of a script.

Hotch nodded in appreciation. "Oklahoma is beautiful countryside. I have an Aunt that lives down by Lawton. Are you familiar with that area?"

"No, we were in the panhandle," Earl replied, again as if he had practiced the answer.

"Did you raise hogs in Oklahoma, too?" Hotch asked.

"Uh, no. This is new." Clearly a question Earl had to think up an answer for as he paused and hesitated.

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out in no time," Hotch said reassuringly. "The Jenkins used to do all of the meat processing for Jericho, so it will be a good business for you, once you get the hang of it." Jake had been helping by supplying Hotch with information as he went.

"So, I studied speech and language before coming here to teach. Your accent doesn't really sound like Oklahoma. Where abouts were you born?" Hotch asked in a friendly tone.

"Um . . .er," this was definitely not on the list of Earl's pre-rehearsed questions, and it had him stumped. Finally, he blurted out an answer. "I was born in Twiggs County, Georgia."

The link to Georgia, combined with the physical characteristics of the family and the general wariness to divulge information, was enough for Hotch to bring the group in for prints and formal questioning. He had to alert J.J. before he could use the predetermined signal to call both the waiting agents and the local back-up to the scene. The thought occurred to him that they might do better separating the father and sons from the mother for the arrest, since she seemed to the one calling the shots. He went to the door of the kitchen.

"Ladies, do we have time to take a look at the hogs before lunch is ready?" Hotch asked, alerting both J.J. and the teams outside that he would be heading outside with the men.

"I think so, Ruby, don't you?" J.J. asked, buying time for the teams to get in place.

Ruby looked up from her sandwich making, "I guess so," she mumbled crossly, appearing resigned to these strange, pushy visitors.

"O.K. then, we'll just head out the front door and around the house so we don't track through your nice kitchen," Hotch explained, getting a response from Morgan that the team was in place outside the front door to arrest the trio as they exited the house.

"Earl, I'd like to see your hogs, could you show them to me?" Hotch figured that directing Earl had worked so far, he would continue the tactic. Earl again shook his head, but then ambled toward the front door. The sons, however, did not move. Hotch wondered if they ever got to leave the basement, let alone go outside.

"Come along with us, boys, it's a beautiful day out. Looks like you could use some sunshine." Hotch encouraged them with a smile. They looked at each other, and then ambled along behind their father.

Derek Morgan and Jake had Earl cuffed and passed off to Sheriff Dawes by the time the sons reached the front porch. Derek spoke calmly to them, explaining to them that they were needed in town to answer a few questions, and there was nothing to be alarmed about, as he cuffed one and Jake cuffed the other and handed them off to the deputies. Once they were taken into custody, Hotch turned back toward the kitchen where J.J. and Ruby were still working on lunch. J.J. had been notified that the three male unsubs had been secured.

"Our visit is going so nicely," Hotch said, returning to the kitchen door. "Ruby, I wonder if you would like to step out front with us and see what your family is up to." Hotch knew he was pushing his luck, but the ploy had worked well so far, and he really wasn't in the mood for a knock-down-drag-out with the woman. His statement must have sounded more like an FBI agent and less like a nosy neighbor, because Ruby grabbed the butcher knife from its block on the counter and brandished it at the agents.

"I knew you were up to no good when you came in that door," she said bitterly, waving the butcher knife at the agents. "It was bad enough I had to go and marry the biggest lunkhead in all of Georgia. He was young and handsome when I married him, but he did like to drink. And he liked to get into bar fights. Soon his brain was scrambled like a pan of eggs and we had two sons who were touched in the head. It was all I could do to keep enough food on the table even with their disability checks. They didn't do well in school, got kicked out for fighting; must have gotten that from their Pa.

"Pretty soon, they were old enough to start noticing girls, but the girls couldn't get away fast enough. One day, about 10 years ago, Earl kidnapped a girl from the college on the other side of town so they could get used to talking to girls. Earl tied her to a chair in the back shed and sent the boys out to get acquainted. By the time I figured out what was going on and went out there, the boys had untied her and stabbed her to death. They were covered in blood, laughing and dancing around like a couple of lunatics.

"I was as mad as I could be until Earl handed me the girl's purse. She must have gotten money from her family because she had a lot of cash, an ATM card with the PIN written right on the back, and several credit cards. I left Earl and the boys to deal with the mess and I went shopping. First, I cleaned out her bank account. Then filled the car up with gas and bought us all new clothes and shoes with those credit cards. I bought all the gift cards I could to use after the credit cards were inactivated. It was like Christmas in September.

"When I got home, Earl had taken the girl back across town to her car and dumped her. He brought her backpack to me in case there was anything of value inside. There were some text books and her laptop computer. I had worked in an office before we got married, so I knew a little about computers. In the weeks that followed, I took the computer to the library and had them teach me how to use it. They told me about e-bay and Craig's list, and that became my new job. I sold her books on e-bay to practice. Now, I had a plan if Earl got another girl.

"A few months went by and the police had no idea who had killed the girl. Soon she wasn't mentioned on the news any more. Earl was working as a bus-boy in a restaurant across town and spotted another girl and brought her home. We had to get her to tell us her PIN before I could get the money out of her bank account. This time, I used her credit cards to buy small electronic items; cell phones, cameras, things that could be mailed easily. I saved every penny because I knew one day our luck would run out and we'd have to go on the run.

"That second girl was the daughter of some local politician who was demanding justice. I figured it wouldn't take that long for them to connect up so things, so we moved to another small Georgia town about 100 miles west. We could only afford an apartment, and there was no way to confine the boys, so they went hunting on their own and found a girl shortly after we got there. Same routine. They only seemed interested in stabbing the girls, but took an unholy joy in doing it.

"We went on that way, moving from town to town and me buying and selling whatever I could until we got to a little town outside Oklahoma City. The boys got careless and didn't tie the girl up well enough. She got free and started running when they weren't looking. They never did catch her, and I knew she would talk to the first law officer she ran into.

"We picked up as quick as we could and came all the way to Jericho. I saw the hog farm sale advertisement and thought the boys might be just as happy killing hogs as girls. Plus, we could keep tabs on them in the basement and not have them running wild like they did in the apartments. We paid cash for the place and would have lived here quietly if it hadn't been for that meddling Mayor."

Having finished her gruesome story, Ruby looked at the knife, trying to decide if she wanted to further threaten the agents, and thus commit suicide by law enforcement, or just give in and go quietly. She had been carrying the burden of the murders for so many years; it actually felt good to have confessed and know that that part of her life was over. She set the knife down and held up her hands in surrender.

Jake had circled the house and was standing by the open back door, planning to stop Ruby if she approached the agents in the kitchen. He had heard the entire story, and was amazed that all of this had gone on in Jericho but no one had been aware until his father had decided to visit on a whim. He also felt grateful that the 'boys' were being brought to justice before they could injure anyone in Jericho. Heather's safety was his primary concern.

As soon as Ruby put the knife down, J.J. pulled cuffs from some concealed location about her person and gently cuffed the now-cooperative woman. They walked her out the front door to the waiting police car. Her full confession had made other interviews unnecessary at the moment. The Scruggs family, now admitting to their real name, had committed no crimes in Kansas, so the BAU team would send them to Oklahoma to stand trial. All five states where they had committed murder were capital punishment states, so that didn't make a difference. Oklahoma had a living witness, so it had been decided they should be taken there first. Of course there was the question of mental capacity for Earl and both sons. Jake would follow the case with interest, thankful that Jericho had played the role they did in making the arrests but had not had any victims.

By midnight, Agent Brinker had sent a paddy wagon from Rogue River to transport the family to Oklahoma City. The BAU agents had enjoyed the hospitality of Bailey's Tavern for dinner with Jake, Heather, Eric, Johnston, and several members of the Sheriff's department. Johnston thanked the BAU team for following up on his concerns, and the team thanked Johnston for helping them solve the case and successfully arresting the whole family. Then Jake drove them back to the Air Field to board their Gulfstream for a late flight back to D.C.

As Jake and Heather drove from the Air Field to the ranch, Jake couldn't help but wonder what other adventures Christmas vacation would hold for them; it had gotten off to quite an exciting start!


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the CBS Jericho characters.

**Author's Note: **Welcome new reader ~ and reviewer ~ Shadowflame! I apologize for the random numbers in the first few chapters; they correlate with pictures that are posted at my Live Journal site: [ .com]. I was hoping to tie them in here, but was unable. There is also a "Families of Jericho" chart that helps keep all of the OC's straight. The 9 page chart and a timeline of events appear between chapters 10 and 11 there, and have pictures of most of the actors *I* would choose to play the characters. It might make more sense when you see it. I'm not sure if any of the readers are interested in having me continue that because there has been minimal feedback.

**Chapter XXI: An Eventful Weekend **

**December 13-15, 2002**

The next morning when Jake woke up, he realized the head congestion he had been ignoring and the cough he had been suppressing were more than just his imagination. He had joined Heather and E.J. for breakfast, and immediately gained Heather's attention when he coughed once and she thought he looked flushed. She had insisted upon taking his temperature - 100.2°F - and declaring that he should stay home for the day. He had stubbornly dismissed her recommendation, insisting upon driving her to school on his way to the Sheriff's Department to square things with Jimmy and Bill. It had occurred to him that he would have a hard time keeping any kind of personal privacy once the BAU visit and hog farm arrests became known. He figured he might just as well be proactive and tell the good people of Jericho what he wanted them to hear rather than allowing them to come to their own conclusions.

He had started out at Town Hall, telling Jimmy, Bill, and other assorted staff that he had been with the FBI since he had graduated college, initially being a pilot, and then taking on the full responsibilities of an agent when he had left Jericho almost two years before. He concluded by telling the group that the FBI had currently assigned him to language school in California. When he was done at Town Hall, he decided to stop by the market to tell Gracie Leigh the full story. Once Gracie Leigh was entrusted with information, it was only a matter of hours before the whole town knew.

He considered visiting his Mom, but decided she would give him a hard time if she heard him cough, so he headed instead toward the Richmond Ranch. Stanley had been up early doing farm chores, and was just going toward to the house when Jake drove up.

"Jake!" Stanley greeted his childhood friend. "Are you hungry? I was about to have lunch."

"Sure, that would be great," Jake replied.

They continued into the kitchen of the cheerful yellow farmhouse. Stanley had kept the house almost exactly as it had been when his parents had died, saying it was good for Bonnie to have the continuity. Everyone knew he liked the continuity, too. Lillian Montgomery and their Aunt Ginny had been frequent visitors to the house, helping to cook and clean; helping Stanley to raise Bonnie and teach her the things a mother would teach a daughter. Stanley knew he would never have been able to get through those first few years without their help, and they were so unobtrusive that they allowed him to maintain his pride. Now that Bonnie was older, the two of them were better equipped to cope on their own. Stanley tried to repay the kindness by pulling his own weight on the property and being available to help with their farm work as needed.

"Mm, something smells good," Jake said, sniffing the warm air in the kitchen approvingly.

"Lillian Montgomery brought over a crock pot of stew this morning, but it won't be done until tonight." Stanley replied. "For lunch, we have potato soup and ham sandwiches. The kind of soup Annie McCall used to make when we were growing up and playing at the ranch. Remember playing with Will and Matt and Pete? Will and Matt would want to play 'cowboys and Indians', Eric and Pete would want to play 'pirates' and you and I would insist on playing 'army men'. We sure had a lot of fun."

"Yeah, those were some good times," Jake said a faraway look in his eyes as he thought briefly about the prospect of having his own children play at the ranch one day. "I took Heather out to the patch to pick blackberries when I was here over the summer," Jake told Stanley, unsure if his friend knew the extent of his interest in the Jericho schoolteacher.

"So, you and Heather," Stanley gently teased him, "how's that working out?"

"Really well, actually." Jake replied with a smile. "I've never met anyone like her. We haven't spent that much time in the same place, but we videoconference on the computer almost every day. I really like her a lot."

"I'm happy for you," Stanley said wholeheartedly, "both of you. Now, does she have a sister? Or a cousin? Or a _single_ friend? She invites her best friend to live in Jericho, and the friend is already married. That stinks," Stanley concluded with a wry laugh.

Jake chuckled with his friend. "I'll have a word with Heather about that. One of these days, Stanley, the perfect woman is going to ride into town and you'll be waiting to sweep her off her feet. I can just see it now."

During their conversation, Stanley had heated their bowls of soup and put sandwich material out on the table. They ate in silence until Stanley asked Jake about the raid on the hog farm and Jake had to make explanations. The hot soup felt good on Jake's throat, which he now realized was growing raw. Being out in the cold air during the raid had probably not helped his condition.

Soon it was time to pick Heather up from school, so Jake thanked Stanley for lunch and bade him good bye, agreeing to meet at Bailey's the following evening for more catching up.

Jake had the good grace to wait in the car outside Heather's building so as to avoid further exposure to the elements and running the risk of infecting others with his supposed illness. He admitted to himself, while he waited, that he was feeling a bit under the weather, but would be fine by morning. The air had become increasingly cold and damp during the day, and snow was starting to fall as Heather made her way out of the school building and toward the car where Jake waited.

"How are you feeling?" Heather greeted Jake suspiciously. "I'll bet you didn't rest at all today."

"Now that's not true," Jake said with a smile, "Stanley and I rested while we ate soup for lunch and reminisced about the good old days. And I've been resting here in the car."

They drove home in silence, Jake trying not to talk so he wouldn't start coughing in front of Heather. The usual Friday evening gathering was planned at the bunk house; the last one before out-of-town guests started arriving for Christmas at the Ranch. As they walked into the ranch house, Heather had declared her intent to re-check Jake's temperature and ban him from the festivities if he still had a fever.

"101.6°F," Heather announced, taking the beeping digital thermometer from under Jake's tongue. "For the sake of public health, you should go straight to bed and stay there until morning. I'll bring you some Nyquil in a few minutes."

Jake silently kicked himself that he hadn't asked Stanley for Tylenol to take down his fever. "O.K., but tomorrow, we're decorating for Christmas around here, and tomorrow night, we're going out to Bailey's with Stanley."

"We'll see," was all Heather had said.

E.J., sitting in the great room reading the paper, had watched the exchange over the top of his reading glasses and laughed to himself that Heather already had this much influence over his stubborn grandson.

By morning, Jake was actually feeling worse, but he would never have admitted it. He had been up quite a bit of the night coughing, and was happy that his room was at the opposite end of the house from Heather's, hoping she had not heard. He had taken Tylenol when he was up around six to get a drink from the bathroom, so his fever was low-grade when Heather checked it at breakfast.

"See, good as new!" Jake assured her, trying to ignore the pain as he took each breath. Time to take some ibuprofen, he thought to himself, all of the tricks he had learned in his military medic training coming back to him.

Heather looked at him skeptically, but didn't comment. She made sure he had plenty of juice and water to drink throughout the day as the three of them brought in the tree and decorated it. Thanks to the ibuprofen, his temperature was back to normal when she took it at lunchtime.

They completed the decorations after lunch and Heather left to go to the Bennett farm to pick something up from Hope. Jake and E.J. sat in front of the fire drinking hot cider and talking.

"I don't want to go putting ideas into your head, Jake," E.J. began awkwardly, "but I want to give you something. In case you need it."

Jake looked at E.J. with a puzzled expression. His head was feeling thick and he was happy to be sitting down. "O.K., Grandpa," Jake answered hesitantly.

E.J. pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and handed it to Jake. "I want you to have this. It is the set of rings I gave to your Grandmother when I married her almost 60 years ago now. I have a feeling you may need it one day soon. If not, keep it for whenever you do. It would mean a great deal to me for you to have them. Your Grandmother loved you so much, Jake, and she would have been so pleased with the fine man you have grown up to be."

Jake looked at his Grandfather in awe. The man always seemed to know what he was thinking, even before he was really sure he was thinking it. "Thank you so much, Grandpa. This means a lot to me, and I know it will mean a lot to Heather, too. I've been thinking about asking her to marry me a lot lately, but I'm not sure if we have known each other long enough."

E.J. grinned at Jake, pleased at the response the ring set had elicited. He had always been able to read the boy. "Can you imagine your life without her?" E.J. asked thoughtfully.

"No," Jake said hastily, shaking his head.

"Well, then, I think you have your answer. You don't marry someone because you want to live with them; you marry them because you can't live without them."

"Thank you, Grandpa," Jake said, a big smile forming on his face. He no longer cared about the pains when he breathed or the thickness in his head. He had the answer to the question that had been keeping him up at night for quite a while now.

As they heard Heather's car in the driveway, Jake and E.J. exchanged conspiratorial grins and Jake crammed the small box into the pocket of his jeans. Heather walked into the great room to find them grinning like cats that had eaten a canary.

"O.K., what's going on?" she asked, growing a bit nervous.

"Nothing at all, but we have to get going before it gets dark." Jake stood and ushered her toward the stairs while she protested.

"Where are we going?" Heather asked in confusion. "I want to check your temperature one last time before you go anywhere."

"No, really, I'm fine now," Jake assured her, continuing toward the stairs. "Can you be ready to go in 10 minutes? Bundle up, it's cold out," he admonished as she reluctantly went up the stairs ahead of him.

Indeed, 10 minutes later, they were driving north toward town. When they passed the medical center, Heather wondered idly if they were heading back to _Riverside Park_. Indeed they were. Someone must have plowed the parking lot since their last visit at Thanksgiving, because there was only a light dusting of snow from the evening before. Jake and Heather were warmly dressed, and Jake retrieved a blanket and a thermos from the trunk on his way around to open Heather's door. He held her arm protectively so she wouldn't slip on the ice, and they made their way back to the bench where they had sat and enjoyed the wildlife on their first trip. Jake cleared the snow off the bench and laid the wool blanket out for Heather to sit on. He sat next to her for a few minutes and they enjoyed the silent snowy landscape around them. Jake really hadn't said much during the trip, between nerves and trying not to cough. Now he fumbled with something in his pocket and spoke to Heather.

"Grandpa and I talked while you went to Hope's. He helped me to see a different perspective of a question I've been mulling over for a while now. He said one shouldn't marry someone because one wants to live with them, but rather because one can't live without them." With that, be slipped off the bench and onto one knee, taking her hands in his.

"Heather Lisinski, I love you. I know we haven't known each other very long, but I don't think I could live without you. Will you marry me?"

Heather had started to tear up as Jake had started to speak of E.J.'s philosophy. She now had tears rolling down both cheeks as she responded: "Yes, Oh, yes! I will marry you, Jake Green. I love you, too, and I couldn't live without you, either." Jake stood up and she threw herself into his arms, almost knocking him off of his feet in the snow. They enjoyed a passionate kiss before Jake encouraged Heather to sit down again.

"Part of the reason this happened today is that Grandpa gave me these while you were at Hope's. He had given them to my Grandma when they got married, and he wanted us to have them." Jake opened the small velvet box and held it out for Heather to see the simple engagement and wedding ring set nestled therein. "I don't know how you will feel about this," Jake continued hesitantly. "We can go shopping and get you different rings if you would rather . . . . "

Heather cut off Jakes words by exclaiming "Oh, they are beautiful! I will cherish them! They are just perfect!"

"Those are Celtic knots on the rings. Our family is mostly Irish with a little German and a little Scottish. Grandma Catherine was completely Irish, and very traditional," Jake informed Heather.

Jake took the engagement ring out of the box to try on Heather's finger. It fit perfectly, and she beamed at him while tears rolled down her cheeks and she threw her arms around his neck again. Jake took that as a positive sign. They sat in silence for several minutes as they considered what had just occurred. Then Heather broke the silence.

"I want E.J. to give me away at the wedding," she announced. "I'm not that close to my Uncle, and he is the only living male relative I have. Do you think he will do it?" She asked breathlessly.

"Why, yes, I guess so," Jake said uncertainly. His mind was still reeling over becoming engaged, while Heather's had clearly made the transition to wedding planning. Jake briefly entertained the thought of eloping, but wisely decided not to say anything on that topic. He had a feeling the term 'wedding' meant something entirely different to the bride than it did to the groom; at least in the beginning.

The wind had picked up and it had begun to snow again. Heather pulled her cell phone out of her coat pocket and held it out to take a picture of the two of them, sitting on the park bench grinning, just having gotten engaged. Madelyn, Erin and Hope must be rubbing off on her as she concluded she really must start taking more pictures.

Jake gathered the blanket and the forgotten thermos and they made their way back to the car. He poured hot cider to warm them up as they sat in the car laughing together over their secret. They decided they had time to go back to the ranch to tell E.J., and then stop by quickly to tell Gail and Johnston before they met Stanley at Bailey's.

E.J. was still sitting in front of the fire, admiring the Christmas tree, when Jake and Heather returned. He congratulated them abundantly on their engagement, and assured Heather he would be honored to give her away at the wedding. His eyes were moist as the two left the ranch house to continue on with their plans for the evening; he was so pleased they had found each other and had the good sense to recognize it.

As they approached the Mayor's home, Heather was relieved to see both of the cars in the driveway. She felt like she was living in a dream sequence, and didn't want anything to set things awry.

She and Jake knocked on the front door rather than just going in the back, like either of them would usually have done. Johnston soon came to the door.

"Hi, Dad, do you and Mom have a minute?" Jake asked.

Johnston looked at Jake curiously, and ushered them into the living room where Gail was seated in front of the television watching the news. Jake and Heather took seats on the couch and the news was turned off.

"We have an announcement to make," Jake started. "I have asked Heather to marry me, and she has accepted."

Gail came flying out of the chair where she had been seated and engulfed the two in a hug while she enthusiastically endorsed their engagement. Jake could almost see his mother calculating grandchildren in the back of her mind, and chuckled to himself. Johnston stood and waited for Gail to get over her excitement, then hugged both Jake and Heather, congratulating them warmly and welcoming Heather to the family once again.

"Well, we won't interrupt any more of your evening, we just wanted to share our news with you," Jake said. "We had plans to meet Stanley at Bailey's, and if the news gets out there, it will be all over town. We wanted you to know first."

Gail had caught Heather's hand and looked at her ring. Now both women had tears streaming down their cheeks as they acknowledged the original owner of the ring. Johnston nodded his head in approval once he realized it had been his Mother's ring.

"Grandpa gave them to me this afternoon, in case we needed them in the future," Jake explained. "I figured there was no time like the present."

"Congratulations again." Johnston said as the two made their way toward the door. He couldn't help but think what a better fit Heather was for Jake and for their family than Emily Sullivan had ever been. He was pleased that Jake had come to the same conclusion.

As they made the short drive to Bailey's, Jake noted that the ibuprofen must be wearing off because he was feeling warm and his chest wall hurt with each breath. He was determined, however, not to allow a common cold to put a damper on the excitement of their engagement announcement. Jake found a convenient parking spot and came around to open Heather's door.

"It's good that we got engaged at the beginning of vacation," Heather mused as she got out of the car, "we have weeks together to celebrate and tell everyone before you have to go back to California."

Jake smiled and nodded so he wouldn't risk coughing when he breathed in the cold air. He made a mental note to pull Mary Bailey aside and ask for Tylenol as soon as he could.

As the two walked in the front door of Bailey's, a whiff of cigarette smoke hit Jake's lungs and racked him with a coughing spell. He laughed as soon as he was able, mumbled something about the smoke going down the wrong pipe, and continued in to the booth where Stanley was waiting for them. Heather gave him a sideways look, but was so excited about the engagement that she did not push the issue with Jake.

As they removed their coats, Stanley noticed the grins they both wore. "What's going on?" he asked curiously.

Heather held out her left hand, and Stanley noticed the engagement ring. He stood up and engulfed them both in a bear hug, then called loudly for the attention of the tavern. Jake and Heather rolled their eyes at each other, but continued grinning.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make," Stanley started. "It would seem that my best friend Jake Green and our own third grade teacher Heather Lisinski have gotten engaged. Let's give them a big round of applause!" The crowd started to clap as Stanley continued, "The next round of drinks is on Jake."

"Thanks a bunch, Pal," Jake said dryly, steering Stanley back toward his seat in the booth and Heather toward the opposite side. Evidently, Stanley had arrived early and was already taking advantage of the refreshments Bailey's Tavern had to offer.

"Hey, what are best friends for?" Stanley asked with a broad grin, oblivious to the jibe. "So, I guess you weren't kiddin' the other day when you said you liked her a lot," he continued in a voice a notch louder than one used by someone who was totally sober. "You know, Jake, Heather doesn't have a big brother. We have all gotten pretty close over the past few years, and she has gotten to be kinda like another little sister to me. I want to warn you that you will have to answer to me if you make our Heather unhappy for any reason. Are we clear?" Stanley asked, waving his index finger in Jakes general direction.

"Crystal clear," Jake replied with a smirk, wondering if Stanley would remember the conversation the next day. Stanley didn't usually drink to excess, making Jake wonder briefly if everything was alright with his friend.

"Hello, I'm right here," Heather said with a laugh, waving her hands at the two men.

He excused himself from the booth and made his way over to the bar, ordering a soda for Stanley, a light beer for Heather and a beer for himself in addition to hamburgers to soak up some of the refreshments Stanley had already consumed. Mary said she had ibuprofen in the storeroom, so Jake followed her to the back.

Jake was engrossed in thoughts of Heather and Stanley when he noticed Emily Sullivan seated at one of the tables with another teacher from the high school. Their eyes met, and Jake smiled hesitantly. Emily returned his gaze, but not his smile; her blue eyes as cold as ice.

"Hi, Em," Jake started, pausing as he reached her table. "I'd like to get together with you and talk about . . ."

Emily interrupted before he could complete his sentence. "Why are you here?" she asked indignantly. "Chris is dead because of you. You are the one that should be dead. Not him. No one is safe around you."

Jake was taken aback by the venom in her tone, but not really surprised. "O.K.," he said, putting his hands up in acquiescence. "Let me know if you change your mind."

Mary had returned with the ibuprofen, which Jake gratefully accepted. They returned to the bar where one of Mary's assistants had filled Jake's drink order. He took the drinks back to the table, telling Heather and Stanley the hamburgers would be out shortly. The ibuprofen kicked in quickly and Jake was able to enjoy the evening. They talked about everything from Jake and Stanley's childhood pranks to the longstanding New Bern – Jericho football rivalry. Stanley was soon coherent enough that Jake felt he would remember the conversation they were having.

"So, Stanley," Jake started, "Heather and I really haven't talked about the wedding much yet, since we only got engaged a few hours ago, but I want to ask you to be my best man. Are you up for that?"

"You bet, Jake," Stanley answered, suddenly serious. "I guess this means we're grown-ups now, huh? Kind of a sobering thought. I guess I never thought it would happen."

"I wasn't sure we'd live long enough for it to happen," Jake put in. "Between the stupid things we did and the poor decisions we made, I guess it's a wonder we did. What will we do if our kids want to do the same things we did?"

"We may be grown-ups, but at least _I_ won't have to worry about having kids of my own any time soon," Stanley replied, having returned to his jovial self. "Bonnie has been enough for me to worry about. I've gotten her this far, with a lot of help. Hopefully we can get through the next few years without any major crises so she can be a grown up and make her own mistakes."

The hour was growing late, and Jake was beginning to feel worn out. "I just want to let you both know that I ran into Emily earlier when I was placing our order," he said, having saved this part of the conversation until the end of the evening. "She wasn't very happy to see me, to put it mildly. She still blames me for Chris' death. Heather, it would probably be best if you avoid her as much as you can. Stanley, use your judgment, but be forewarned."

"Apparently she hasn't gotten the memo that you're one of the good guys," Stanley said with a wry laugh.

"Good thing we teach in different levels of the school," Heather replied, "I don't think we've ever had a full conversation, more like just nodding if we pass in the office. I think she was suspicious of me from the beginning when I moved to the ranch as soon as I came to Jericho. The school only has staff meetings for the teachers of all grades once each semester, so our contact is minimal."

"That's good," Jake responded, "try to keep it that way for now until she gets over being upset with me. May be a while, she can carry a grudge."

"Good thing I have plenty of other friends then," Heather said with a smile, leaning her head on Jake's shoulder.

With that, they rose and said their good nights. Jake remembered to hold his breath as he went through the smoky area near the door, and take shallow breaths once he got outside into the cold, damp air. He was determined not to let a cold derail the fun of their engagement weekend.

Sunday morning dawned sunny and clear, but the air was still crisp. Heather, Jake and E.J. arrived at the church just in time to take their seats before the service began. Gail must have arrived early enough to have a word with Pastor Young, because he encouraged everyone to congratulate Heather and Jake on their engagement as he announced the 'Handshake of Friendship". Church members came from every corner of the church to congratulate them and admire Heather's ring; many of the older ladies recognizing it as having belonged to Catherine Green. Gail and E.J. stood by and beamed at their handiwork.

After the service, the entire family adjourned to the Green home for lunch. Gail had scrambled to make a festive meal on short notice, and had prepared prime rib with creamy au gratin potatoes, caramelized Brussels sprouts, and lemon meringue pie for dessert. Everyone had enjoyed the meal and was sitting around the table drinking coffee afterward when Gail noticed that Jake looked more flushed than he should.

"Jake, are you feeling alright?" Gail asked suspiciously.

"Yes, Mom, I'm fine," Jake responded too quickly.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Jake, you told me you were better," Heather said, clearly irritated. "He's been running a fever and coughing on and off for days now. He told me he was better or I wouldn't have let him come out today," Heather said defensively.

Gail shook her head, "Welcome to the world of stubborn Green men, my dear. April, will you please have a look at him?"

"Sure, Mom," April responded. "I'll just get my bag from the car."

Gail went to the kitchen and returned with a thermometer, which she stuck under Jake's tongue before he could protest further. He rolled his eyes as Johnston, Eric and E.J. looked on with smirks. Each of them had been in his shoes at one time or another. The thermometer beeped as April returned.

"102.6°F. Jake, what were you thinking being out in public with a fever like this," Gail asked him, shaking her head.

April warmed the bell of the stethoscope before placing it on Jake's back and asking to take a few deep breaths; the deep breaths caused a paroxysmal coughing spell which he had avoided for the past several days by taking shallow breaths.

"Well, you have crackles in your left lower lobe," April announced. "We could get an X-ray to be sure, but I'd say you have a pretty good case of pneumonia. You can come with me to my office on the way home for an injection of PEN-G to get you started, and then take a course of Augmentin. You're not allergic to penicillin, are you?"

"No," Jake answered a bit sheepishly, "But I don't think I have pneumonia. It's just a cold. I'll be fine in a couple of days."

Heather was almost as flushed as Jake was. "And when did you fit medical school into your busy schedule, Jake? April is the doctor in the family, and she says you have pneumonia. If you hadn't been so stubborn the past few days, you might have been able to rest and not let it get to this point."

Jake's head was a bit foggy, but he realized that he and Heather were having their first quarrel, and that she was right. He had allowed his stubbornness to get the better of him. He would talk to her about it later. In the meantime, best to go along with April's plan.

The family meal now concluded, Heather drove Jake and E.J. to the clinic where April met them and fixed Jake up with medications and strict instructions to rest for the remainder of the week. She made sure Heather and E.J. heard the instructions as well, so Jake would be held accountable.

As they headed home to the ranch, Jake thought to himself that it wasn't exactly how he had planned for the weekend to end, but that it had been a good weekend nonetheless.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the CBS characters.

**Chapter XXII: A Green Family Christmas **

**December 16-25, 2002**

Jake slept in late on Monday morning, so he didn't see Heather until she returned home from school in the afternoon. He had dutifully rested during the day, and was continuing to rest downstairs on the couch when she arrived home. He knew they needed to talk, but he was embarrassed by the scene his mother had made after lunch; and by his own stubbornness.

"How is my favorite patient doing this afternoon?" Heather said cheerfully as she came in the front door, walking to the couch and kissing Jake on the forehead. "At least you don't feel feverish; I guess that's a good start." She continued on into the kitchen to unpack her lunch bag.

"How was your day?" Heather asked when she didn't get much of a response.

"I behaved and rested," Jake answered dourly, "this is as far from my bed as I've gotten all day. And I've taken my antibiotic exactly as April told me to."

"Very good," Heather said, smiling as she sat down next to him on the couch.

"And how was your day, Miss Lisinski?" Jake asked, giving him a crooked smile.

"One more day crossed off the list before Christmas vacation," Heather said with a sign of relief. "I don't even know why we try to teach them during the last week before vacation. They're all sugared-up from parties and excited to have relatives arriving from out of town. Speaking of which, do you know when folks will start arriving around here?"

"I think Uncle Emmett arrives tomorrow afternoon. The Nortons will arrive from Kansas City and the Davises from Galloway on Friday. They are staying through the disaster drill on the 31st so they can participate. The Logans plan to come up on the 23rd and stay for as much of the disaster drill week as they can. They have a new doc in Cedar Brook, so Aunt Susan asked for the week off. Uncle Martin has organized the local militia there in much the same way the Jericho Rangers work here, so he's hoping for the week off as well. They are a lot of fun, and we don't get to see nearly enough of them due to their jobs.

"Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bob won't be coming from New York to spend Christmas at the ranch this year. I guess the whole "Planning Ahead" thing finally put her over the edge. They've been critical about Jericho for as long as I can remember, and I guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back. At least Stuart and Brenda McCall were polite enough to make up an excuse for not coming, but I'm sure the reason is the same as the Brady's." Jake had not coughed even after all of that talking. He thought that was a good sign.

"It will be nice to see everyone again," Heather said, "especially since I will really be a part of the family one day!"

Jake chuckled. "So, how are you feeling about everything? It's been almost 48 hours. Are you having second thoughts yet?"

"Not at all," Heather reassured him, squeezing the hand she was holding. "So, have you given any thought to when we might have the wedding?"

"Well, probably a good thing to plan it for when I'm home from school," he said with another chuckle. "Although we could just elope while you're visiting me over spring break." He pretty much knew what her response would be, but he had to throw it out there to torment her a bit.

Heather gave him her best third-grade teacher look and ignored both comments. "How about having it when you finish school for the summer? Will you be having a summer vacation?"

"My spring semester ends May 17, and I'm off for four weeks until the Summer Intensive Language Program starts June 16 and goes until August 8. Then I'm off for two more weeks until fall semester starts."

Heather had pulled a date book out of her "teacher bag", as Jake called it, and was busily high-lighting dates as Jake spoke.

"I have classes until May 29, which is a half-day," Heather said thoughtfully. "How about May 31, then we can have 2 weeks together after the wedding and before you have to go back to school?"

"That sounds good! Are all wedding-planning decisions all this simple?" Jake asked.

"I don't know," Heather giggled, "I've never planned a wedding before. I stopped by the Bennett's to tell Hope we are engaged and to ask her to be my matron of honor. She offered to go with me dress shopping. She will be pleased that we set the date for after her baby is born. I'm sure she will be a great help, as will April and your Mom. April and Eric seemed happy for us at lunch yesterday."

"Do you think I need to ask Eric to be a groomsman? He only asked me to be his best man because Mom made him. That's why I wanted to ask Stanley to be my best man before Eric knew or Mom got involved." Jake asked.

"Do you want him to be in the wedding?" Heather asked thoughtfully.

"I guess so," Jake said. "I want things to be better between us."

"Then why don't you ask Eric and I'll ask April to be a bridesmaid. It will be nice and family-oriented then," Heather declared. "I'd also like to have little kids in the wedding party – it takes the focus off of us. I was thinking Julie and Bernadette McCall, and maybe Travis and Loran Reed would bring Ian up from Cedar Brook to be the ring bearer. He'll be almost three by then; don't you thing that's old enough?"

"Uh," Jake said in alarm, holding up his hands, "you're asking the wrong guy that kind of question. Sure, have as many kids in the wedding as you want. I'm sure Mom would be happy to sew fancy little dresses, and whatever it is ring bearers wear. Do we have to wear tuxedos or can we wear suits. How fancy do you want the wedding to be?"

"Oh," Heather responded, "not fancy; no, you don't need to wear tuxedos. The Bennets and my uncle from New York are the only people I want to invite that aren't from Jericho. Maybe Pastor Young can marry us at the church early Saturday afternoon, and then we could have an outdoor party here at the ranch afterward?"

Jake breathed a sigh of relief. He would have done anything Heather wanted, but the stuffy wedding Eric and April had had was not something he would have looked forward to. "Do you feel strongly about getting married at the church, or could Pastor Young marry us here at the ranch?" He asked.

"Oh, that's a great idea," Heather said enthusiastically. "Do you think E.J. and the McCalls will agree to that?"

"Sure, and maybe Joanna and Erin will help with the food?" Jake suggested.

"That sounds good; a garden wedding!" Heather agreed. "If we can do something outside, maybe Hope can help me plant extra spring flowers and whatever else we need. Maybe we can go with a Celtic theme, considering I'm half Polish but I'm also part Irish, Welsh and Scottish," Heather said, grabbing her laptop out of her "teacher bag" and turning on the power.

"Do you like to travel?" Jake asked tentatively.

"Yes, of course! I just haven't gotten to do much of it yet," Heather said absently as she started searching for Celtic wedding ideas.

"What would you think about going to the U.K. for our honeymoon? Two weeks probably isn't long enough to see everything thoroughly, but we could see a little bit of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland."

Heather eyes grew wide and she set aside her laptop. "Really Jake?" She asked, throwing her arms around his neck. "That would be terrific. I've always wanted to go there, but never had the time or money. Now I really want to have a Celtic wedding!"

"But Heather," Jake broke in, a little alarmed, "no kilts, OK?"

"Oh. O.K." Heather said, a little crestfallen. "Are you sure? Think about Mel Gibson in _Braveheart_." She said dreamily.

"Mm, not so much," Jake responded, shaking his head.

"Got it. No kilts." Heather nodded resolutely with a grin and turned back to her computer, now searching for U.K. destinations to visit. "Besides the obvious things we have to do like see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Tower of London, do you like to do touristy things or just roam around and see what we find?"

"Definitely roam around. What kinds of places do you like to stay in – hotels, or hostels & B&B's?" Jake asked.

"Definitely B&B's or hostels, I'm not particular. Clean is good, but fancy isn't necessary. One of my college friends stayed with various local families when she went to Europe; I'm not sure how she arranged it."

"Might not be the best idea for our honeymoon," Jake said, leering in her general direction.

"You're right," Heather agreed, blushing slightly. "What about local food. I love trying new things," she added, effectively changing the subject.

"I'm pretty good with new things," Jake said, "and I love to eat!"

Heather giggled at Jake's enthusiasm for food. She nibbled the end of her pen thoughtfully and then asked "What about kids?"

Jake looked confused, "in the wedding?" He asked.

"No, as in us having kids," Heather answered. "I love kids, and I hated being an only child. So always thought I would have lots of kids. But I know you didn't have the best sibling experience."

"I hadn't given it a lot of thought yet," Jake said truthfully, "But I've seen how good you are with kids. How about we start with a couple and see how it's working out for us?"

Heather nodded, happy enough with that response.

Fortunately, E.J. came in the front door or Heather and Jake might have planned out the rest of their lives in one sitting. They spent the rest of the evening discussing the family's Celtic heritage and traditions that might be included in the wedding. Heather decided to do a little more digging into family genealogy before their trip so they could try and visit the homes of their Celtic ancestors if possible. She already had the basic information about the Green family back 6 generations, and had some of the information about her mother's family amongst her things upstairs. She found herself almost as excited about the trip as she was about the wedding. She voiced these thoughts to Jake after E.J. had gone to bed.

"Being able to travel with my best friend will make the trip perfect!" She said as they cuddled on the couch before going up to bed. "It's all like a fairy tale; I keep waiting for the story to end, but it doesn't. It just keeps going on and getting better every day. I love you, Jake Green," she said, "and I love the idea of spending the rest of my life with you."

"Once again, the feeling is mutual, Heather. I've never felt this way before, and I have a feeling we are going to have a lot of adventures together!"

Uncle Emmett's plane arrived on Tuesday around noon; Jake was feeling well enough to ride along with E.J. to the airport to pick him up. They spent the afternoon getting caught up while Jake rested on the couch per doctors' orders. Emmett was relieved to hear about Jake's career choices and thankful that he had made peace with his parents. He was delighted to hear about Jake and Heather's engagement and assured Jake he would be in attendance on the big day. He thought highly of Heather, and was happy that she seemed to be having a calming influence on his formerly strong-willed nephew.

Eventually, talk turned to the upcoming winter disaster drill. Emmett was enthusiastic about participating. Having spent his life as a bachelor, he did fairly well for himself in the cooking department, so he read with interest the collected "stored food recipes" that had appeared in _The Jericho Eagle_. Wanting to help as much as he could, he volunteered to fix dinners for the gathered family members when other plans had not been made. Jake and E.J. welcomed this offer, suggesting that he work with Heather as she, too, was learning to cook with stored food. By the time Heather arrived home from school, he had a pan of Chicken Dumpling Casserole baking, and was assembling a salad.

"I hear congratulations are in order, my dear," Emmett said, coming around the counter to give Heather a hug as she came into the house. "Jake is a lucky young man. I hope you two will be very happy together."

"Uncle Emmett has been to Ireland, and has ideas for our trip," Jake said from his seat on the couch.

"Thank you and I can't wait to hear about your trip to Ireland," Heather said as she took her lunch bag into the kitchen. "Mm, something smells great!"

"Emmett is cooking dinner with one of the 'stored food' recipes," E.J. added from his seat next to Jake. "You'll have someone to practice cooking with for the next two weeks."

They enjoyed dinner together that was remarkably good, and then enjoyed Emmett's travelogue of Ireland from the previous summer.

"I actually have some news to announce as well," Emmett said self-consciously, occupying himself with his ice cream spoon and bowl. "A group of people from the Kansas City court system went on the trip to Ireland. I got to know one of the clinical psychologists a little better, and we've been seeing each other since we got back. She is a lovely lady, and I might be bringing her to family gatherings in the future. Her name is Eleanor Wellesley. She grew up in England and has a wonderful British accent." He finally paused for a breath and looked round the table for reactions. Despite his successful professional career, he had never found anyone with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. She was younger than he was, but it didn't seem to bother her. He had high hopes for this relationship.

"Congratulations, son!" E.J. said heartily, delighted that Emmett might have finally found someone. "We will look forward to meeting Eleanor."

"Congratulations, Uncle Emmett!" Jake and Heather echoed, aware of the importance of having someone with which to share one's life.

Emmett steered the conversation back to Ireland and they enjoyed the rest of the evening talking together.

By the time Heather arrived home from her half-day of school on Friday, the Norton family had arrived from Kansas City and had been filled in Jake's career news and his engagement to Heather. Like Uncle Emmett, they were delighted with the news.

Jake was feeling much better and had been cleared for general activity by April that morning, so they all planned to go to the bunk house in the evening for dinner and carol singing. Heather and Emmett had started a large pot of chili the evening before, and Emmett was just putting a pan of corn bread into the oven as their contribution to the evening. The weather had remained cold with intermittent snow flurries, so the hot chili would be appreciated. E.J. went to the pantry and brought out one of the jars of honey they had retrieved from the bee hives shortly before Thanksgiving. Hope had assured him there would be even more honey in subsequent years, but he was happy enough with what the bees had produced this year. E.J. thought about the progress they had made as a community in the past year and was filled with a sense of satisfaction that he had done his best to get his town prepare for whatever might come.

The evening at the bunk house was attended by the usual group. The Davises had arrived from Galloway earlier in the day and were happy to congratulate Heather and Jake on their engagement as they walked in the door. Heather ducked into the kitchen with the cornbread and found Joanna, Erin and Madelyn busy putting dinner out on the counter for those gathered to fill their plates.

"Oh, good," Heather said, putting the pan of cornbread in the appropriate spot as Jake set down the pot of chili and quickly left to locate Stanley and Gilbert. "Just the ones I was looking for."

"I hear congratulations are in order," Joanna said, setting things down to give Heather a hug. "We're so happy for both of you." Heather had seen Erin and Madelyn at school during the week, but had not been over to see the Joanna since they had been engaged.

"Thank you," Heather said, "It will be nice to officially be part of the family."

"Oh," Joanna said with a laugh, "I think you're already official. But I know what you mean."

"I wanted to ask if Julie and Bernadette and maybe Megan could be in the wedding?" Heather asked. "I like the idea of having kids in the wedding to relieve tension and take the focus off the adults. Also, I think we're going to have a garden wedding here at the ranch, nothing fancy. I wondered if you would be interested in a catering job? I want to have a Celtic theme, but ordinary picnic food will probably be O.K."

"Sure, that sounds like fun," Joanna replied. "We can look at recipes together. It will be at the end of May, right?"

"Yes, the 31st," Heather said.

Erin just rolled her eyes and giggled. She was expecting her second baby over the summer, and was having difficulty with morning sickness. She would be done with her first trimester before the wedding, so she would be fine by then.

"I can help, too," Madelyn chimed in. "The more the merrier."

"Thanks, guys, I knew I could count on you. This is starting to feel real. Exciting, and kind of scary." Heather concluded.

"It will be wonderful," Joanne assured her, "now go spend the evening with your fiancé," she said, shepherding Heather out of the kitchen.

Heather laughed, thanking her friends again, and made her way to the table where Jake was seated with Stanley, Hope and Gilbert. The musicians were playing _Joy to the World_, so she sang along.

"So, when can we shop for your dress, and what kind are you looking for," Hope asked Heather as soon as the music died down.

"Oh, here we go," Stanley rolled his eyes, "this wedding is all we're going to hear about for the next six months."

"Now that's just not true, Stanley," Heather said, batting him on the arm with her napkin as she sat down. "It's only five months and a week."

"Oh, I'm so relieved," Stanley said, laughing. The rest of the group joined in the laughter. "Just the same, why don't we go get dinner while they compare notes?"

"Good idea, take Eric with you, please," Heather said, noticing Eric and April come in and motioning for April to come sit with them. When April joined them and was comfortable, Heather asked her to be a bridesmaid in the wedding.

"Why yes, I would love to!" April said, giving Heather a hug. "We are so happy for you and Jake!"

"We are thinking of a garden wedding with a Celtic theme. Hope will have had her baby just a few weeks earlier, so perhaps loose-fitting linen sheath dresses? Maybe in pale periwinkle?" Heather asked, having tried to pick a color that the two redheads would like.

"Sounds great," April said, noticing that Hope was nodding as well. "I know of a great vintage bridal shop in Rogue River if you might like to look at vintage dresses."

"Is it the one on Hawthorn, next to the bakery?" Hope asked and April nodded. "I was hoping we could look there; they have beautiful things. Do you have time to go tomorrow? Maybe we could make a quick trip before Christmas and the disaster drill. We could do some last-minute Christmas shopping while we're there. Do you think Gail is free to come along?"

"I'll go ask her before the guys return with the food," April said, standing and heading for the table where Gail and Johnston were eating with E.J., Scout and Annie. She returned a few minutes later reporting that Gail was free in the afternoon and would love to accompany them.

"Great," said Heather. "Things are falling into place so quickly. We haven't even been engaged a week and we already have the rings, the location, the food, the wedding party and the honeymoon destination squared away. Thank you both for your encouragement and help."

"Happily married people want their friends to be happily married, too. We're just doing our part," April said with a laugh as the men returned with dinner plates for all of them. Wedding talk was put aside as they recalled the Thanksgiving football game and snowball fight, and the fun they had had. More carols were sung after dinner and soon it was time for everyone to get some sleep before the shopping trip the following day.

Saturday morning dawned clear and crisp, with no fresh snow in the forecast. Hope had offered to drive Gil's four-wheel-drive truck just in case, and arrived at the ranch to pick Heather up at 11:30. They drove to April and Eric's home in the east woods to collect April, then back-tracked to the Green home so they could pick Gail up at noon. It was a 90-mile drive to Rogue River, so they would have a few hours to shop before the stores closed and it became too cold and dark to be out on the roads.

The started their quest at _Hawthorne Vintage_. As they walked in the door, Heather realized it was mostly a resale shop, with wedding dresses and prom dresses organized by size. The older saleswoman introduced herself as Gloria and helped them find Heather's size. Hope and Heather started at one end, April and Gail at the other. They didn't find anything appropriate, so they moved up a size, thinking it would be easy to take a dress in one size. They were almost done with the second size, and starting to feel discouraged, when Gail held up a dress for April to see.

"Oh Gail, it's beautiful!" April exclaimed. "Heather, what do you think of this one? I think you should try it on."

Heather turned around and he face lit up, "Oh, I love it! Do you think it will fit me? Where do I try it on?"

Gloria promptly reappeared and led Heather to the changing room. Once she had Heather situated, she asked if the others were part of the wedding party. She didn't have anything suitable for Hope and April, but escorted Gail to another section of the store and showed her dresses that might be worn by a mother of the groom. After looking through the rack, she pulled out an ice-blue linen dress with a sweetheart neckline and beadwork on the bodice. Gail liked it, and it was her size, so she took it into the dressing room next to Heather to try it on. Gloria was also able to direct them to a newly-opened bridal shop a few blocks away that might have dresses for Hope and April.

Heather and Gail emerged from their dressing rooms at the same time. Heather's dress fit her almost perfectly, and looked beautiful. Gail became misty-eyed when she saw Heather, happy to soon have another daughter in the family. Hope and April both exclaimed over Heather's dress, and she declared she loved it and would get it. The focus turned to Gail's dress; all three girls agreed that it was perfect for her. Gloria beamed happily at the group, wishing all of her customers were as congenial. She asked Heather what kind of shoes she might want to wear, but Heather hadn't given it much thought yet. Gloria recommended ballet slippers tinted to match the dress and told the group where they could be found.

While Gail and Heather changed, April and Hope thanked Gloria profusely for her time and suggestions. She said she took great pleasure in helping brides find just the dress they were looking for. She efficiently boxed up their dresses and the group returned to the truck. Heather now shared the small back seat of the extra-cab with two rather large boxes, and was grinning happily.

"I don't know about any of you, but dress-shopping made me hungry," Hope announced as they got ready to drive to their next stop. "I ate an early lunch before we left, but apparently it wasn't enough. How about the rest of you?"

"Hope, you're always hungry these days," Heather said, laughing.

"Well, yes; I have to make up for that first trimester of morning sickness." She said, also laughing.

"I could eat," Heather said, turning to Gail and April for their opinions.

"Sure," April said, "how about the little sandwich shop on Dover that has soup and sandwiches, and those great desserts?"

"Sounds like a plan," Gail agreed as they started off in that direction.

The ladies enjoyed a late lunch and a little Christmas shopping before heading back to Jericho. They felt good about their accomplishments and could now relax and enjoy the Christmas events and the disaster drill.

The Logans and Reeds arrived Monday afternoon from Cedar Brook. Lauren and Travis agreed to allow Ian to play the role of ring bearer, and said they already had his outfit – a kilt of Clan Reed Tartan sent from Scotland by his great-grandmother, if Jake and Heather were interested.

"As long as I'm not the one wearing the kilt, it's all good," Jake said with a laugh.

"For that matter, my parents grew up in Scotland and my Father plays the fiddle in a Celtic musical group. It is much like the music group that plays here at the ranch, but includes a flute, a bodhrán and a set of bagpipes. I'm sure they would come and play at your wedding if you would like. They're no _Tartanic_, but they'll do. My Mother would also be able to answer any questions you might have about the wedding or your trip." Now that they listened to Travis speak, they noticed a faint Scottish burr. "The members of the music group can all wear traditional Scottish dress if you like," tipping his head toward Jake with a grin, he said in a stage whisper "that means more kilts."

"That sounds great!" Heather said enthusiastically. "I'll call them after the first of the year. Ian in a kilt sounds too cute for words; I can't wait to see him in it!"

The collective Green family plus Hope and Gilbert were enjoying a relaxed evening at the ranch house on Monday. The following day would be Christmas Eve, with the traditional church service in the evening. Somehow, the date had snuck up on Heather; perhaps because Christmas fell in the middle of the week this year and she had worked until Friday. She was shaken from her musing when she heard talk of the upcoming disaster drill.

"So, have you each written scenarios like last time?" Gil was asking.

"No," Johnston answered, "Since this is scheduled to last almost a week, we each took a day with which to create mayhem. I should be pretty interesting! The weather surely is cooperating; being able to practice in one of the coldest winters we can remember will help us all."

"How are the townsfolk feeling about the drill," Martin Logan asked. "We have about half of Cedar Brook on board, and the other half either don't care or feels like the Bradys and mocks us. It surprises me, being a Midwestern farming community. I would have thought more of the community would see the need."

"I'd say we are better than half – perhaps two-thirds that are totally on-board." Johnston continued. "I'm looking at it this way. First, I hope and pray we never need it. Second, the more supplies we have, the better off we are, no matter how you look at it. The folks that choose to prepare will not be part of the immediate problem down the road. We started with solar power, and that was a big sell due to the cost savings later on. It also woke a few more folks up to the potential. Each drill we have, each international disaster that is reported on the news, each time a tornado takes out a neighboring town brings more people to the realization that we should be prepared. I know what the naysayers are feeling; I was one of them for decades. I'm just glad that Dad persisted until I saw the light; and I will persist as well."

"The disaster drill will be here soon enough, let's discuss other things for now," Gail proclaimed, turning to Martin and Susan's daughter-in-law Amy who worked as a nurse in Cedar Brook. "So, it looks like you have been drinking the same water down there that many of the girls up here have been drinking," she said, indicating Amy's expanding midsection. "I'm guessing March, since you and Hope are about the same size?"

"You would think," Amy said with a laugh, obviously having had this conversation before, "but I'm not due until May. We're having twins."

That announcement set the female members of the group into conversation, speculating whether it was because twins ran in the Green family, and wondering if they would be fraternal or identical. They were fraternal; Amy said she'd had an ultrasound that week and the doc was certain it was a boy and a girl.

The conversation continued late into the evening, covering many topics, including several helpful family members who admonished Heather to avoid the water until she was safely married. She just nodded and smiled. At last, everyone went off to sleep, preparing for the celebrations which would start the following day.

Most of the Green men had taken off in the wee hours of the morning to try their hand at hunting turkey, other game birds, or small game, which would be used in the disaster drill later in the week. E.J., Johnston, Emmett, Jake, Eric, Martin Logan along with his son and son-in-law, Mark Norton and his son Curtis, and Gilbert Bennett had set out toward E.J.'s old hunting cabin to stow their supplies and reorganize, and then broken into groups of 3 and set out to see what they could find. E.J volunteered to stay with the cabin and fix hot coffee and lunch for the hunters.

Heather and Hope were at the bunk house, aprons on and hands washed by early Tuesday morning. They had volunteered to help with the traditional meal that the whole group would enjoy together. Joanna, Annie and Madelyn were already busy chopping vegetables, kneading dough for rolls, and doing other preparation work. Joanna's daughter Ellen had taken charge of the younger members of the group and given them age-appropriate assignments – mostly helping to set the tables at the moment. The smells of vanilla and savory spices already wafting out of the kitchen were heavenly. Hope and Heather didn't stand idle for long. Once they had helped themselves to hot cocoa and breakfast, Annie gave Heather a bowl of apples to slice for pies, and Hope received more vegetables in the need of chopping to go in stuffing. Christmas music was softly playing in the background, and Heather enjoyed the chatter and aromas.

By midafternoon, the men had returned from their hunting expedition with game for the following week. The food preparation was complete, so Heather and Hope went to their homes to clean up and change for dinner. They all managed to be dressed and ready to return to the bunk house in time for dinner around 4:30pm.

The feast was delicious, as per the usual offering of the McCall family. Everyone enjoyed fine food, good company, and Christmas music courtesy of the musicians. By 7pm, folks began to gather their children and put on their winter coats and hats for the short drive in to town and the Christmas Eve Service at church. As it had been last year, Christmas Hymns were sung, a short message was given, and then parishioners stayed to chat amongst themselves. Jake informed Heather that most of the out-of-town teenagers had spent summers in Jericho visiting Grandparents, thus they all knew each other.

"Do you want to stay, or are you ready to head home," Jake asked.

I'm ready when you are," Heather told him, anxious for a few moments alone with Jake to exchange Christmas presents.

Apparently, Jake had the same idea, because he asked Heather to sit on the couch and wait for him to return. Fortunately, her gift to Jake was already wrapped and under the tree, so she graciously complied.

When Jake came back downstairs from his room, he bashfully carried two small wrapped presents. "I know you can find almost anything you need to know on the internet these days, but I thought you might like these," he said, sitting down and handing the packages to Heather.

"Oh, thank you," she said as she opened the first one. It was a leather bound book that had 'Travel Journal' embossed on the front in a script font. Inside were blank pages for her to write the memories of their honeymoon trip.

"I was having a dorky moment and picturing us old and gray, reading the travel journal in your neat "teacher-writing" to our grandchildren someday," Jake said awkwardly.

"I don't think it's dorky, I think it's romantic; and endearing," Heather said with a smile. "I will do my best to write an interesting journal that is worthy of reading to our grandchildren."

"O.K., enough mush, open the other one," Jake said self-consciously.

Heather opened a larger flat package that looked to be a coffee table book. It was entitled _The Back Roads of The United Kingdom_. On the fly leaf, Jake had written 'I hope we see many of these places and some that didn't make it into the book. Love, Jake."

"Oh, Jake, look at all of the cool places we will get to see," Heather said, leafing through the book. "Thank you," she said, giving him a hug and getting up to retrieve his gift. It, too, was rectangular and flat.

Jake opened his present to find a double picture frame hinged together. When he opened it, his eyes opened wide. Both sides had pencil sketches. The one on the left was a 12-year old Jake standing next to a new colt which Jake recognized from a picture his mother had. On the right was present-day Jake with the same horse, now grow, in much the same pose. Jake looked at Heather questioningly.

"I first saw the picture on the left when your Mom brought out a photo album to prove a point to Stanley and Eric and end a disagreement. I took the picture on the right when you were visiting at Thanksgiving. I borrowed the one from your Mom and took both pictures to Mr. Rennie who teaches art at the high school. I had seen him drawing sketches when he was on lunch duty watching the kids, and I knew he was pretty good. I am so pleased with how they came out. I hope you like them, I really didn't know what to get you," Heather said, speaking hurriedly and self-consciously at the end.

"I really like them a lot," Jake said, continuing to look at the drawings. "I can't believe how much detail he put into them. Rocket looked just like that when he was a colt. We knew his mother would be delivering soon, so I was staying at the ranch, waiting for it to happen. Grandpa woke me up in the middle of the night, and I got to see his birth. Grandpa said he could be mine, but I had to learn to take care of him and train him. I did everything for that horse, and loved every minute of it. I don't think he had been ridden by anyone else before I went away to college. Will McCall took care of him while I was at school, and did a good job. He's still a good horse. Grandpa has used him for stud service for years."

"He must be what, 17 years old? How long do they live?" Heather asked softly; Jake was still absorbed in the sketches.

Jake looked up at her, his thoughts returning to the present. "They can live up to 40 years, but 20 years is more usual. Rocket has had good care all his life, and comes from a strong line, so I would expect 25-30 years. Thank you, Heather, I really like them a lot," Jake repeated.

E.J. and the rest of the family returned from church at that moment, so they tucked their presents away, not yet ready to share them with the group.

Christmas Day was informal, with the adults taking turns chasing after Ian in a non-childproofed house. Gail and Johnston, Eric and April arrived mid-morning and they enjoyed a feast of leftovers from the evening before. The absence of Bob and Sharon Brady and their daughter Olivia from New York was commented upon, but it was a much more congenial group without their snide remarks.

Everyone knew the disaster drill would be starting early in the morning because those that had written the daily scenarios were all in attendance. The out-of-towners were curious to know how it would all work, but the 'Planning Ahead Committee' just laughed to themselves and said "You'll see."

**Author's Note:** Pictures of the rings and Heather's dress can be seen at my Live Journal account: 2merryann dot livejournal dot c o m.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters who appeared on the CBS show Jericho.

**Author's Note: **Well,we have reached the point where my posting chapters has caught up with my writing chapters. This is the last completed chapter left to post, and I'm afraid I write slowly. As I have said before, reviews are encouraging. It would be nice to know if folks are interested in having me continue to write. Thank you for sharing the journey with me!

**Chapter XXIII: "Jericho It's Cold Outside" Disaster Drill**

**December 26-31, 2002**

Just as the sun began to rise on the morning of December 26th, Johnston Green made an announcement over the hand-held radio system used by the sheriff and fire departments of Jericho and owned by many private Jericho residents as well.

"Good morning citizens of Jericho, this is your Mayor speaking. I have been advised to tell you that we are expecting severe weather today. As you all know, this has been one of the coldest winters on record, and we are expecting to be hit by an arctic blizzard by noon today. You all should have already made basic winter preparations, so take this time to be sure all of your family members, neighbors and livestock are prepared for the worst. This storm may involve snow and or ice, and the possibility of prolonged power outages. It will be widespread; affecting much of the mid-west, so mutual aid from other areas will not be forthcoming. We will take care of ourselves, our neighbors, and each other. I will be back around 10am with any updates that are available and will be taking questions at that time. If you must travel on the roads, do so now and plan to be home well before noon in case the storm arrives early. This is Mayor Green signing off."

The upstairs occupants of Green Ranch had cracked opened their bedroom doors when the radio announcement started so they could hear the message on Heather's radio. Twenty-year-old Michelle Norton was bunking with Heather this year and 18 year-old Curtis Norton with Jake since the Cedar Brook contingency was spending the nights rather than going home and coming back as they had in previous years. Emmett was bunking downstairs with E.J. and the Reeds had opted to stay at the bunkhouse, since it was more child-friendly.

Emmett heard the announcement come across E.J.'s radio and called up the stairs "Does anyone need anything in town or are we good?"

Guessing that the night was over, Heather and Michelle smiled wryly at each other and pulled on sweatshirts and jeans before going down the stairs with the rest of the family. Since the out-of-towners didn't know what all the drill would entail, Heather and E.J. allowed them to discuss the situation amongst themselves and ask questions.

"Do we have enough fresh water?" Martin asked, to get the conversation rolling. "I know there's plenty of snow, but I'd rather not use our fuel melting it. We need at least a gallon per person per day. I would plan for at least a week, even if this weren't a drill that lasted a week. By my count, there are 15 of us." He'd had plenty of conversations with Johnston while getting Cedar Brook's disaster plan started, but he knew not everyone in the group was up to speed.

"Yes, we have sealed gallon bottles of water for drinking, three to a box, in the basement. We also save water in old juice and soda bottles that can be filtered for drinking in our Berkey water filter or used for washing, toilet flushing, etc." E.J. said, filling the group in on the preparations that had been made.

"What about food," Laura asked. Living in Kansas City, she and her family hoped to come to Jericho if things went wrong.

"We decided that doing things en masse was just easier, especially when it comes to cooking with stored food," Heather picked up the conversation. "We have some snack food and breakfast food here in the pantry, as well as a little bit of everything else, but the bulk of it is stored in the basement here to be used by the bunk house for serving all of the residents of Green Ranch. We tried to set it up like a grocery store, with everything clearly labeled, so that Joanna could send one of the kids over to get whatever she needed to cook with. Food storage takes up a lot of space, and they have 8 people living in their basement, so it made the most sense to store it in the basement here where it can stay cool and dry, and everyone can have access to it whenever it is needed. They keep some of everything in their pantry, like we do."

"What other considerations went into your planning," asked Laura's husband Mark.

Heather held up her radio, "Well, these are used by the sheriff and fire department and were made available for purchase to community members. This is how we communicate within the town. There is a HAM radio at town hall that can be used to communicate across the country and around the world. We have developed a community reserve security force that has dubbed itself _The Jericho Rangers_. They drill together in 10 squadrons of 50, and take turns being on call to insure the security of the community. A military veteran who has seen combat is in charge of each squadron, and there are EMT's embedded in each squadron. April arranged for instructors to come from the community college in Salina to train anyone willing to become an EMT so that there would be more folks with medical training scattered around the county, able to perform first aid and triage duties. Will McCall is our EMT here at the ranch. Wes and Joanna's oldest son Owen trained to be a volunteer firefighter, so he has EMT training as well.

"The final area we considered was energy. We made a group buy of solar cells for the town, and another for private residences. Then we approached New Bern and they fabricated an order of wind turbines for us. The two forms of energy are complimentary since it isn't always sunny when it's windy, and vice versa. The power from the sun and wind are stored in batteries and used when the power goes out. We've had a few bad storms that knocked out the power; and the auxiliary system worked great. It won't power everything, but it's sure better than nothing. A lot of folks also have traditional generators for cooking and powering water heaters. We have set up a system at the school where people who live alone can come to the cafeteria to eat one hot meal per day and take a shower. Better use of resources. Since this is a winter drill, we are also going to have a few classrooms open to be used like dormitories so individual homes don't have to stay heated. It's not that big a deal during a drill, but it would be important if it were the real thing."

"Would you have time to show us how you've organized your stored food?" Susan asked, "I haven't been here since you ordered it."

"Sure," said Heather, glancing at the clock, "then I need to head toward town. I'm responsible for running the school warming station today, and taking reservations for the hot meal, which will be served at 4pm." She looked over at Jake, who had been taking in all of the information. "If you'd like to come with me, I can try and hook you up with the Ranger squadron on duty so you can make rounds with them today."

"Great," said Jake, marveling at her ability to multitask.

Heather led the way downstairs to the finished basement, which had not been used much in years. Boxes and plastic crates of seasonal decorations and keepsakes were on one side of the large room. The other side now had several rows of floor-to-ceiling shelving, neatly labeled. The lower shelves had white food-grade 5 gallon buckets with Gamma Seal lids, 2 deep, and the upper shelves had #10 cans which had been sealed at the LDS cannery in Aurora, CO, or had arrived sealed from freeze dried food vendors. Like items were located together, as they would be in a grocery store. Rice, oats, grains, pasta and legumes were located together; freeze dried meat and dairy together, fruits and vegetables together. The home-canned fruits, vegetables, pickles and preserves, jams and jellies were located together in another area. Having a shorter shelf life, they should be used before the freeze dried items. On a shallow set of shelves at the end of the aisle was a large selection of herbs and spices. In another area were items from the grocery store that had a long shelf life and made meals more pleasant: canned tuna and chicken, peanut butter, freeze dried onions for making the ubiquitous green bean casserole. These items were stored in wooden dispensers that allowed rotation by purchase date – first in, first out. Heather had located plans on the internet for many of the storage solutions and one of the ranch hands who was handy with wood-working had been drafted to help Joanna and her organize the store room.

The visiting family members were sufficiently impressed with the food storage arrangements that had been made at the Green Ranch.

"Well, I guess this week will be an opportunity to see how well everything works." Heather replied with a smile. "Theory is one thing, but putting it into practice can be another. This will be a great opportunity what to see what works, and what needs to be tweaked or totally changed. The school cafeteria has a similar set-up in terms of food storage. Folks who want to shower or eat will pay either with something of value or by working. The goal is to have supplies for a year stored up, and then supplement with whatever we can from the farms: fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat. Hope has a background in botany and has built a greenhouse at their farm – the old Henderson farm out on Route 6. Since we didn't have a nursery in town, she plans to start seedlings for the folks that want to buy them locally but don't want to start with seeds. She's using all heirloom seeds, so there won't be any hybrid or GMO issues." Heather looked at her watch and decided that she needed to get ready. She led the group upstairs to where E.J. and Emmett had breakfast ready, had a bite to eat, and then left with Jake to see how the town was faring.

They checked in at Town Hall first to see how things looked. As E.J. had once opined, 95% of the townsfolk were at home, prepared and minding their business. About 5% had come in to town like they had no fore-knowledge of the drill and were mobbing Gracie Leigh's store for last-minute purchases, creating mayhem at the gas station, or heckling the deputies about one thing or another. Gray Anderson was standing at the counter, ready to take on anyone and looking for a fight over just about anything, Somehow, he was directed out toward Gracie Leigh's to help maintain the peace there.

The minutia was too much for either Jake or Heather to become too concerned with at this juncture. Jake was taken to Will McCall, Squadron Leader for Charlie Company. He learned he was to shadow Will during the day, asking questions as appropriate. That should be easy enough, he thought. He was also to get a feel for the way the squadron was set up and interacted. Each squadron with which he would interact in the future would be different, but he would have one with which to compare it.

Having gotten Jake tucked in, Heather made her way to the school. Someone had unlocked the front doors, and a dozen or so townsfolk were already gathered inside. These were the folks who remembered the power having been turned off during the first drill, but who opted not to prepare their homes with solar or wind power, or even obtain a traditional generator and enough fuel to keep it running for a week. The "Planning Ahead" committee had discussed how much to charge such folks for meals, showers and lodging. The conclusion was in the punitive range, with a sliding scale based on the reason given at the time of intake. No one would be turned away, but some might opt to make other arrangements.

Heather situated herself at a desk a secluded corner. She had created a simple intake form and a meal-order form. Once she was settled, she called for the first person in line to come to the desk.

Dale Turner and his mother came and sat on chairs beside her desk. Sandra and Dale had lived in the trailer park since they had moved to Jericho about 10 years earlier. Sandra had been an unwed mother and left her hometown when her parents forbade her from keeping the baby. She had lasted in the big city just long enough to get through beauty school, and then come to Jericho hoping for a fresh start. Dale had been a toddler when they arrived, and Gail Green had offered to watch him when Sandra was working since the Green boys were at school during the day. They both realized that it was more than Gail just missing babies in the house, but never spoke of it. Once Dale started kindergarten, it was the Green home he went to until his mother came to pick him up after she finished her shifts. Dale grew up thinking of the Greens as the extended family he'd never had.

"How can I help you today," Heather asked impartially. She had not had Dale as a student, but was aware of his situation. He was always friendly and helpful when she had playground duty.

"We rent in the trailer park," Sandra started hesitantly, "and don't have the means to arrange for a generator or any of the other things that have been recommended. We wouldn't be allowed to have our own generator at the park even if we could afford one. I work full-time at _Martha's Cut-N-Curl_, but Dale here can work to pay for our meals and lodgings this week. I guess I could wash dishes or help out in the evening if needed. We don't need anything fancy, but it's just too cold to stay in our trailer without any heat, if they're going to turn off the power like they did last time. We can eat cold food at home if we need to, but it would be nice to have one hot meal a day in this weather. How much will that be?"

Heather had been taking notes, and had already decided the Turners would be charged the rock-bottom price. "How old are you now, Dale?" She asked.

"I just turned 14, Ma'am," Dale said respectfully.

"That sounds good. If you will plan to help out here, and if your Mom can help a little when she's here, I think that will cover it. Once the drill is over, we can see what kind of arrangements can be made for the folks in the trailer park to become better prepared for a disaster. That's a community contingency we haven't discussed yet in the committee." She handed them each a neon green 3x5 card on a length of yarn and told them that was their pass to eat, shower and stay the night for the duration of the drill. Dale dutifully put the pass around his neck while Sandra stuffed hers down into her purse and mumbled something about getting to work.

Heather kept Dale at her desk a few more minutes, handing him a clipboard with paper and tasking him to list the people who were seeking meals in one column and the people seeking both meals and lodging in another. He gave Heather a hesitant smile and went off about his new responsibility. Heather's heart broke a little for the young man, and she made a mental note to keep a better eye on him in the future.

Heather spoke with several more residents from the trailer park, now realizing that some might have family with whom they could stay, but most would be coming to the shelter. The "Planning Ahead" committee had a huge gap in their repertoire, and Heather was grateful they had discovered it during a drill. The trailer homes didn't even have fire places to help keep them warm.

Heather was pleased to see several retired members of the community who now lived alone coming to make use of the warming station and the hot meal. E.J.'s friend Joe Bittner, who had recently lost his wife, joked with Heather that coming to the school was almost a social event – at least a good opportunity to catch up with some of the other townsfolk.

Doc Taylor came in to sign up for the hot meal, giving much the same reason as Joe. He had prepared his home to an extent, but said he would never turn down a hot meal.

Oliver Wilson, now a bit more aware of the happenings around town, also came to sign up for the hot meal. He might be one of the better prepared members of the community, but it still made sense to have only one place cooking for the group rather than single individuals cooking for themselves.

When Heather saw Scott Rennie's name on the food and shelter list, she was truly surprised.

"Mr. Rennie, what are you doing here," Heather asked.

"Well, I live in Jericho's only apartment building. The owner didn't want to supply the building with solar or wind power alternatives, and won't allow us to use generators, so if the power is going to be out, I guess I'd be best off here. I'm happy to pay or help with whatever needs to be done."

"Hmm," Heather said, realizing this was another circumstance they had not taken into consideration. "How many units are in the apartment building?"

"There are 12," Mr. Rennie relied. "Four or five folks have family on town they can stay with, but the rest of us are on our own and will probably end up here. Emily Sullivan is going to try and tough it out tonight - I told her she was crazy! Those buildings have almost no insulation. Bill Kohler lives there, too – he was going to try and stay with Jimmy, but I'm not too sure how Margaret will feel about that. He may end up here before it's over as well."

Heather busied herself signing Mr. Rennie in. "And who owns the apartment building?" she asked as she handed her friend his neon green pass.

"Grey Anderson does," Mr. Rennie replied. "He's been a little nicer to the tenants since the rumor started circulating that he might run for Mayor in the next election – 2006 is it? But in general, he's been a real pain to deal with. I've lived there five years, and I wish there were a better choice, but I can't think of one. There just aren't too many options for single people in Jericho. The folks who live in the trailer park are mostly families, or parts of families. It's a bit more expensive, and the conditions are no better. Grey Anderson's business partner Grant Stevens owns the trailer park. I guess you don't make money if you're not hard-nosed."

"I'm sorry that is the case, Mr. Rennie. The 'Planning Ahead' committee will be looking into options for renters who want to prepare for disasters, and I'll let you know what we come up with."

Heather took a moment to ponder the fact that there but for the Grace of God she would have been, rather than living in the relative luxury of the Green Ranch, about to marry into one of Jericho's leading families. She sent up a little prayer of Thanksgiving before calling the next name on her list.

By the time the noon meal reservation cut-off time came, about 200 people had signed up for dinner and 75 for lodging. Some of the meals were for Rangers and Town Hall staff who wouldn't be able to make it home to eat, including Heather and Jake. The regular cafeteria ladies had been hired by the town to come in and fix hot meals during the disaster. They knew the kitchen better than anyone else, and this gave them a little extra money after the expenses of the holidays.

Heather left her list of reservations with the lunch ladies who had arrived mid-morning to start preparations and headed back to Town Hall to see what was going there. Mayor Green had spoken on the radio again at 10am, advising the townspeople to prepare for the worst. As anticipated, the "storm" hit just before noon, and the power had been turned off. The school kitchen remained functional, being powered by the coal furnace in the basement. Lights remained on in the cafeteria where people had congregated and in the classrooms which would be used as dormitories.

It was a short walk down Main Street from the school to Town Hall. Heather passed Mr. Murthy's gas station, where folks had just learned that there would be no more gas dispensed due to lack of power. More than a few were agitated. Heather, who was on the opposite side of the street, just kept walking. She didn't have the authority to do anything to help. She did use her radio to call the Sheriff dispatcher and request a Ranger unit be sent to maintain the peace. The church was quiet as she passed it, but when she came into view of Gracie's store, yet another set of agitated people could be seen. Heather put in a request for yet another Ranger unit to be dispatched as she approached the commotion at the store.

Gracie Leigh was standing in the doorway of the store speaking to people on the outside.

"I'm out of bottled water, batteries, flashlights and firewood. I don't have a lot in the way of food left. If you want something, get in line and ask; first-come, first-served, and I'll sell you whatever I have. Cash only since the power is out and I can't take your checks or credit cards. I don't need all of you in my store at once making a mess of things in the dark. Now who's first in line?"

Heather glanced at the line and was not at all surprised to see middle-school students Skylar Stevens and Lisa Whaley at the front of the line waving a twenty dollar bill and clamoring for chips and diet soda. The world really could come to an end and the two of them would still be self-absorbed, rich princesses, Heather thought to herself.

Heather passed Jake with a couple of Rangers on the front steps of Town Hall. "I think the gas station is the more urgent scene," she said with a grin, "Gracie Leigh seems to have things under control at the moment." The Rangers thanked her and continued down Main Street. They waved at Gracie Leigh on their way past the store and she nodded in return as she kept the line of customers moving along.

By the time they reached the gas station, Grey Anderson was addressing the crowd. "I know that the Mayor and his committee planned this drill, but I don't know how we're supposed to get gas to run our generators without power. Maybe it's time we come up with a plan ourselves for getting through this ridiculous 'disaster drill' week."

"That's the whole point of a disaster drill, now isn't it, Grey?" Jake asked, after being given the nod by the Rangers with whom he was training. "You're given time to prepare for the drill _before_ it starts. As best I know, everyone in Jericho had the same advanced warning, yet there are what, 30 people here demanding gas? What do you think those other 4,500 people did? Yes; I'll bet they bought gas last week. And what if it _really had been_ a disaster. How many of you took the opportunity to purchase solar cells when they were available at a discounted price?"

Jake was greeted by silence as the people in the crowd looked around at each other.

"That's what I thought," Jake continued. "We have power outages all the time due to weather here in Kansas. Not to mention the increase in disasters both natural and man-made around the globe. Some of you may not know this, but I've been working for the FBI's International Office for almost two years. I can't even tell you about the poverty and squalor I've seen after some of these disasters have happened. It doesn't have to be like that here, we can be prepared. When I heard about the Jericho 'Planning Ahead' committee, I thought it was a great idea. What better investment than in our own future! Yet you all have chosen not to participate. I'm sure it's not too late for the future, but it's too late for this week. There will be no gas pumped in Jericho for the remainder of the drill. If it is uncomfortable in your home tonight, you are welcome to check in to the warming center at the school for food and lodging tomorrow."

With that, Jake turned around and walked back toward Town Hall. He could hear the Rangers from his group advising people to go home, and reinforcing the statement that gas would not be available for the rest of the week.

Jake had rarely been as angry as he was at Grey Anderson at this moment. He had heard that Grey was fomenting a plan to run for Mayor. Leave it to Grey to disseminate such a rumor years before the actual election, tormenting Johnston all the while. Jake reached his father's office just as Heather's turn for the Mayor's attention came up. Heather could see that Jake was upset, so she ushered him into Johnston's office with her, from her place in line, and gestured for him to speak first once the door was firmly closed behind them. Jake gave her an appreciative nod before launching into the story of the confrontation he'd just had with Grey.

"Welcome to my world, Son." Johnston said sympathetically. "No, we will not be pumping gas until the conclusion of the drill. Yes, Grey Anderson is an idiot. I'm afraid we still can't fix stupid. Either he and the other local talent from the gas station will go to New Bern for gas – or maybe to spend the week on a motel - or they will end up in the school, paying dearly for a hot meal and a warm area on the floor to sleep. I'm happy it was only 30 hooligans who were causing trouble; of course there may be more tomorrow if tonight is as cold as they predict."

Johnston turned to Heather, "And how did things go at the school?" he asked.

"Very interesting," Heather replied, filling both he and Jake in on Grey's ownership of the apartment building and Grant Stevens' ownership of the trailer park. "I think most of the folks needing lodging were residents of the trailer park. A were few from the apartments and a few folks who just live alone and may have actually been looking forward to the company. At our next meeting, I think we need to talk about renters, and also talk about the elderly in Jericho and who watches out for them," Heather concluded. "I'm glad we have the option of the school for these folks, at least until other arrangements can be made."

"Well," Johnston began reluctantly, "since we're not a socialist country, the elderly have traditionally been taken care of by their families, or by the church. That covers practically all of them. Occasionally someone slips through the cracks, after a spouse dies, and the children have moved away. I'll have Marian Frederickson look into that one this afternoon and make sure no one freezes to death during our drill. That would be well below average."

Jake and Heather returned to their posts. The rest of the afternoon ran smoothly including a delicious stored food dinner of lasagna casserole with garlic bread and salad from vegetables grown in Hope's greenhouse; chocolate pudding was served for dessert.

After dinner, Jake went with his ranger squad to finish paperwork and Heather made sure the lodgers had what they needed for the night. Scott Rennie was issued a radio and tasked with being in charge of lodgings on the night shift in exchange for his own meals and lodging. He was given a list of folks to call, depending on what issue might arise overnight. Heather felt comfortable that the school was left in good hands and went back to the ranch with Jake when he returned for her.

On the way home, Jake and Heather discussed how well things had gone with the singular exception of Grey Anderson. They wondered how Grey and the others would respond to the options Jake had laid out for them. When they reached the ranch, they found that things had been calm there during the day, and told E.J. and the extended Green family the stories of their day in town. The next day, Martin and Jeff Logan would go into Jericho with Heather to shadow the Ranger squad on duty and compare notes from their Cedar Brook experiences. In keeping with the goal of saving energy, they all retired to bed early.

After eating a hearty hot breakfast of oatmeal, and reconstituted eggs made into omelets, Heather left for town with Martin and Jeff. Since the power was already off, there were no issues with the gas station or Gracie Leigh's store today. Town Hall was the only building open for business. Heather took her future in-laws inside and introduced them to Ridley Cooper who was in charge of Ranger Squadron Delta. Once they were settled, she went on to the school to see how the lodgers had fared, wondering who would be joining them today.

As Heather walked through the doors, she saw that Scott Rennie had things well under control. The cafeteria ladies had set out the makings for a snack the evening before and a cold breakfast. Scott had assigned lodgers to oversee different aspects of the meals and clean-up. As new folks had begun to arrive in the morning, he'd had them form a line and listed their names as Heather had done the day before. Heather thanked him graciously and joked that she could have stayed home, he seemed to have things well in hand.

Surveying the list and the line, Heather was quite surprised to find both Grey Anderson and Emily Sullivan on the lodging list. She made herself comfortable at her desk and began the process of registration, starting with the first in line. It would appear that the rest of the trailer park and apartment population had decided the weather was too cold to stay at home without electricity. When Heather came to Emily's name on the list she was somewhat apprehensive. She called Emily's name and waited for her fellow teacher to get settled in the chair next to her desk.

"I hear those apartments are pretty cold," Heather started in a sympathetic voice. "I hope you weren't too uncomfortable last night."

"It was pretty miserable; that's why I'm here today," Emily responded in a neutral tone.

"Scott Rennie told me about the situation renters are in. We will try to make better arrangements for the future." Heather said in a concerned tone.

"Well, don't worry too much about me," Emily said, looking around furtively. "Don't tell anyone, but I met someone while I was I was in Topeka last week taking the Teachers' Certification Exam. Maybe I won't have to live in those terrible apartments forever."

"Well, congratulations!" Heather said in a heartfelt voice, quite surprised that Emily would confide in her. Then, she realized that Emily really didn't spend too much time with the other teachers. Other than Jake, she didn't seem to have many friends in Jericho, even though she had grown up there. Heather turned her thoughts back to the business at hand.

"Perhaps you could help Mr. Rennie keep tabs on the female lodgers tonight, since there look to be more, and he could just look out for the males. That can be your contribution to the town in exchange for the fine cuisine and top-notch accommodations," Heather said with a laugh. Emily laughed, too and thanked Heather. Just like that, whatever tension that had existed between them evaporated. Whether it was Heather's low-key approach to things or the fact that Emily had someone new to take her mind off of Jake, Heather would never know. She was just grateful to have things be more pleasant, considering that they both worked at the school.

Heather spoke to more people, finally coming to Grey Anderson's name on her list. She had glanced at the line several times and noticed him glaring at her as though he though she should move him to the front of the line since he was such an important person. She was not looking forward to this intake interview. She called his name, and he came to her desk and made a show of getting comfortable.

"What can I do for you today, Mr. Anderson?" Heather started.

"Well, I guess I need food and lodging since I can't get gas to power my generator and warm my home or cook my food," he declared in a tone that was looking for an argument.

"Very well," Heather said, "I will sign you up for both. You must wear this green tag around your neck at all times while you are in the school building. You will report to Scott Rennie to receive your chore assignment which will offset the cost of your meals and lodging." She and Mr. Rennie had decided money was probably no object for Grey Anderson; menial chores would probably be much more of a burden than a stiff bill.

"What?" Grey spluttered, "I'm not going to do chores. Someone else can do that. I will pay whatever is fair, and that is it. Someone from the trailer park or from the apartments can do the chores."

Heather wasn't surprised with that response, and was ready. "Well, the food and fuel have already been paid for by lodgers who arrived earlier than you. But there are a number of chores yet needing to be done. I think Mr. Rennie mentioned dish washing and trash collection," Heather looked through her paperwork, "and bathroom cleaning."

Grey Anderson looked aghast. He pulled himself upright in his chair and started in, "I'll have you know, young lady, I am a respected businessman and property owner in this community. I will not be treated like a common laborer and expected to perform manual labor. There are people for that."

Heather had had enough and interrupted him there, in a quiet yet firm voice. "The way I see it, Mr. Anderson, you had a choice. YOU chose not to prepare your home for this drill and for any future disaster. The people who live in the apartment building you own did not have that choice. They are forced to be here because you made the choice for them. As with the folks from the trailer park owned by your business partner. They don't even have fireplaces or apparently much insulation to keep them warm. You may stay, under these terms, or you may go home to your cold house. Those are your choices now. Please excuse me." Heather closed her notebook, stood and walked away from her desk leaving Grey gaping like a fish out of water. Eventually he stood up and went to Mr. Rennie for his chore assignment.

Heather went to the restroom, splashed cold water on her face, and took a few deep breaths. She knew she was in the right, but she rarely had cause to stand up to folks like Grey Anderson in a public venue. She wished Jake were in town to talk with, but knew it would wait until she got home that evening. Once her pulse returned to some semblance of normal, she peeked out the bathroom door and was relieved to see her desk area empty. She went back, working her way down the list. Apparently the Stevens had purchased enough fuel in advance because they did not show in in her line, and she knew they had not purchased a solar power set-up.

The last person to be signed in was Deputy Bill Kohler. Apparently he'd had a miserable night in his apartment as well. Heather assigned him to overall security detail at the school, and keeper of the peace, especially where Grey Anderson was concerned. Although he had only been in town a few months, there was no love lost between the two. Heather thought Grey would have little chance of getting away with shenanigans with Deputy Bill, Mr. Rennie and Emily Sullivan keeping an eye on him.

Things had gone a little more quickly the second day. Now there were a total of 125 lodgers and 300 for meals. Heather notified the cafeteria ladies and then went to Town Hall to report to the Mayor. Martin and Jeff Logan had decided to stay the entire 24 hour shift with the Delta Squadron, so Heather headed home to the ranch to see how they were managing.

Since it was a Friday, and the McCalls had already proven themselves impervious to such inconveniences we power outages, Heather figured there would be a bunk house party in the evening. She checked in at the ranch house and found most of the Green family playing Monopoly, Scrabble or card games in the great room. Jake was playing gin rummy with Emmett, E.J. and his bunkmate Curtis. Heather went upstairs to freshen up.

The bunk house party was well-attended and everyone had a good time. Heather allowed her thoughts to drift back to Grey Anderson, spending the night at the school. She couldn't help but giggle a little to herself, certain that those around him were enjoying his presence much more than he was enjoying himself.

Saturday morning's Mayoral update came far too early for Heather's comfort. It was snowing again, and Johnston announced that the town was running out of fuel, so the plows would not be used to clear the roads. Only essential personnel (Rangers or medical emergencies) were to be on the roads; everyone else was to stay in place for the remainder of the drill.

Heather thought through her responsibilities. Fortunately, two of the three cafeteria ladies lived in the trailer park, and were consequently staying at the school. She radioed Mr. Rennie and asked him to assign someone (Emily maybe?) to do intake if anyone more showed up requesting food or lodging. Also, she asked him to provide the cafeteria ladies with more help as they would be working short. He seemed amenable to these requests and promised to radio her if anything came up. He advised her that Grey Anderson had been a subdued version of himself since she had left.

With that taken care of, she radioed Johnston to advise him of her arrangements. He agreed with her decision and also said he would call if she were needed. Mark Norton and Travis Reed were taking a 4WD truck into town so they could shadow the Ranger squadron on duty; Martin and Jeff Logan could use the truck to come home.

Heather felt like a kid with a snow day for the second time in a month. She found Jake to see what he wanted to do. The Bennets had spent Friday night at the ranch house after the bunk house party, so Jake and Heather decided to home with them to feed their livestock and hang out. It was only a mile or so along a back road; they were hoping not to run into and Rangers on the trip.

They made the short trip safely, and without getting caught. Gil and Jake went to check on the animals while Hope and Heather gathered fresh eggs and started making brunch. The rest of the day was spent chatting, watching old movies on DVD, and talking of the wedding and the honeymoon trip to the U.K. Heather swore the group to secrecy, and then told them about her conversation with Emily.

"That's great," Jake said, "I hope things work out for her and that she is very happy."

"Well, she only just met him, but she does seem happier," Heather said.

"Whatever it takes," Hope said philosophically, aware of the friction between Emily and her friends.

Soon, the shadows began to lengthen, so Gil took Heather and Jake back to Green Ranch. Another day of drill down, three more to go.

The remainder of the drill went quietly, at least as far as the "Planning Ahead" committee knew. There were no more major complaints or uprisings. A few more townsfolk trickled into the school for food and lodging each day, but the crew there handled things easily. Grey Anderson, from all reports, was on his best behavior. Heather knew that couldn't be a good thing, but there was nothing to be done about it.

The post-disaster assembly was held in the school auditorium at 4pm on Tuesday, December 31. The hot meal had been served at noon that day, and the power had been restored at 3pm. Heather had gone in early to receive formal reports from Mr. Rennie, Emily Sullivan and Bill Kohler as to how well the school had served its purpose. The three agreed it would have been nicer to have been able to stay in their own homes, but that overall, it was a good idea.

Johnston called the auditorium to order just at 4pm so the meeting would be over in a timely manner and folks could get home to their New Year's Eve plans.

"I believe the issues of water and food went smoothly?" There were no arguments from the crowd.

"Adam Montgomery tells me the walkie-talkie radio system worked well. Any issues there?" Again, no argument from the crowd.

"Security. Ralph McVeigh tells me that 6 of our 10 Ranger squadrons had the opportunity to take 24 hour shifts during the drill and performed commendably. The months you all have spent training and working together have made you each a cohesive group. I'm very pleased with the Jericho Rangers and all they are capable of doing.

"Medical. April tells me there were a few minor cases show up in the clinic – probably no more than there would usually have been. Did any of you make use of the EMT's assigned to your ranch or sector of town?"

Stanley Richardson stood up and was recognized. "Bonnie twisted her ankle on the ice Saturday and our cousin Connor was able to come over and tell us it was probably just sprained. He wrapped it with an ace bandage and told her to stay off of it, and she's all better now."

"Great, Stanley! That's just how it's supposed to work." Johnston replied, nodding his head. "Anyone else?" No one volunteered, so he went on to the next topic.

"Energy. How did everyone do in that department?"

Clearly, this was the topic Grey Anderson had been waiting for. He jumped to his feet and started in, not waiting to be recognized. "I don't know what kind of scheme you're trying to run here, Johnston, but some of us don't appreciate having the power turned off before we could get prepared. I was at the gas station trying to get gas for my generator when your minions turned off the power, thus preventing me from the very self-sufficiency you say you are promoting. Then you send your son, who has a shady reputation at best, to lecture me in front of the crowd. And lastly, you have that school teacher who lives at your ranch and fraternizes with your son assign me to menial tasks when I sign in at the shelter. . ."

Johnston had had about enough of Grey's ramblings and interrupted before he could go any further. "Grey, stop right there and listen to yourself. I didn't want to have this conversation with you in public, but I will if you insist. First, you had the same ample notice of the disaster drill as all of the other citizens of Jericho. There is no conspiracy. There were no minions watching for you to arrive at the gas station. You and a few others simply failed to plan ahead. Secondly, Jake is a Federal Agent. He works for the FBI, and he can't discuss some of his missions. This does not make him a shady character. Lastly, Miss Lisinski rents a room from my father, the former Mayor of Jericho, at Green Ranch. She is engaged to Jake, not fraternizing with him.

"Now, I would also like to talk with you about the conditions in the apartments you own and rent out to some of the single members of our community. Would you like to have that conversation in this public forum as well, or can it wait until a more appropriate time?"

For the second time in a week, Grey stood gaping like a fish out of water. "We can have that conversation another time," he said curtly and sat down.

"Good," Johnston said happily, and went on to conclude the post-disaster assembly. "Everyone have a safe and Happy New Year! Thank you for participating in the 2002 _Jericho It's Cold Outside _Winter Disaster Drill, and we'll see you again in 2003."


	24. Chapter 24: Spring Break in California

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own any of the characters who appeared on the CBS show.

**Chapter XXIV: Spring Break in California**

**March 14-23, 2003**

As Heather packed her bag for spring break, she thought about all of the things that had happened since she had last seen Jake in person. School had resumed for Heather the week after the Disaster drill, and for Jake the middle of January. Johnston and Gail had decided that they wouldn't be missing much in Jericho with the winter being as cold and dreary as it was, and set out on a driving vacation to California in February. They had stayed with April's folks in Phoenix and then headed toward San Diego, stopping for a couple of days in the historic mining town of Julian. Eventually they had made their way up the coast along Highway 1, enjoying the scenic ocean views before arriving at their next destination, the Danish-themed village of Solvang. They then continued on to Monterey, where they spent the three-day President's Day holiday with Jake before heading back to Kansas.

Gail had been charmed with the quaint towns they had seen on their trip, readily able to see Jericho becoming its own version of them one day. Johnston was more restrained with his praise. He professed to have enjoyed his trip, and liked the towns they visited, including Old Town Monterey and Cannery Row, having enjoyed Steinbeck's novel by the same name. Heather couldn't wait to see all of the places of which they spoke.

The other big news in Jericho was April and Eric's announcement the previous Sunday at the family dinner that they were expecting their first baby. Gail asked if they would like to keep the news among the family until April reached the end of her first trimester, according to longstanding tradition, but April said she had borrowed the ultrasound from work and seen the baby's heartbeat. She was confident that the pregnancy was strong and was willing to tell the world, after having waited so long. Gail was beside herself with excitement, and Johnston was uncharacteristically damp-eyed as he hugged April and congratulated both his son and daughter-in-law. Heather was delighted for April, and happy that the baby spot-light would be off of her and Jake for a while. April calculated her due-date as mid-November.

Heather zipped her suitcase and remembered the fuss she and Jake had had over how she would get to Monterey. She wanted to drive, so she could see the scenery. Jake was adamantly against it, saying it wasn't safe for her to drive alone, there wasn't enough time for her to drive during such a short vacation, and that it was cheaper to fly, using Jake's frequent flyer miles. Eventually, Heather realized it was their stubborn natures colliding, again, and that it just wasn't a hill to die on. Her plane was scheduled to leave at 2pm on Friday, after school let out at noon.

Everything went according to design, and Heather's plane was soon landing at the Monterey Regional Airport. She had carried on her only suitcase, so she was soon approaching the curb where Jake was parked in his 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner. He got out and gave her a big hug and a quick kiss before the security guard motioned for them to be moving along. He tucked her suitcase into the trunk and they started the short drive back to his room. By the time they got there, it was just after 5pm local time. Heather had taken a nap on the flight from Denver, so she was full of energy. Jake suggested they go out to dinner with a friend he had made since returning at Christmas. Heather agreed and went to change while Jake made a phone call.

Rather than driving to a restaurant as Heather expected, they met Jake's new friend in the lobby and walked down the street and into a fish market.

"Really?" Heather asked Jake with an incredulous look on her face.

"They do have the best fish and chips," replied Jake's friend, who had introduced himself as Rob Hawkins.

"I like the cold shrimp sandwiches," Jake said. "You're not allergic to shrimp, are you?" Jake asked with sudden concern.

"No," Heather said with a laugh. "I love shrimp. I just saw all the dead fish when we walked in and I thought you were teasing me."

"No," Jake said, "it's a fish market in the front and take-out in the back. We can sit on the dock in back and watch the fishing boats."

"Sounds good," Heather said. "So, how did you two meet?" she asked, turning to Mr. Hawkins.

"We had a class together," Mr. Hawkins said, "which had now ended. I will be on my way home to the east coast tomorrow."

"Really? In the middle of the semester?" Heather asked.

"Semesters aren't the same at The Institute as they are other places." Jake answered after he had placed their order at the counter. "Some of our classes are broken up into two 8-week seminars."

"So, Jake tells me you two are getting married at the end of the school year," Mr. Hawkins said, effectively changing the subject away from himself.

"Yes," Heather said with a big smile. "We're going to the United Kingdom for our honeymoon."

"That sounds like fun. I hear it is beautiful there," Mr. Hawkins replied with a smile.

Their number was called and Jake went to pick up their food. They went outside and sat at one of the picnic tables along the wharf. They could see a number of colorful fishing boats returning for the evening and smell the salty sea air. There were friendly seagulls walking along the ground and some that tried to land on their table. Jake waved his arms and they flew off toward another table.

"This shrimp sandwich is delicious," Heather said. "Good choice! So, when are we leaving to drive south?" she asked Jake. "I can't wait to see all of the places your parents talked about."

"I thought we'd leave tomorrow, and take our time going south, then come back up here for a few days before you have to go back to Jericho. How does that sound?" Jake asked.

"Sounds good," Heather replied. "We're going to Santa Barbara and San Diego," she told Mr. Hawkins.

"So Jake mentioned," Mr. Hawkins replied, as they finished their meal and stood to leave, watching the sun dip into the Pacific Ocean. "Well, I should get back and pack my things," he continued. "It was very nice meeting you, Miss Lisinski."

"Very nice meeting you, too, Mr. Hawkins," Heather said, shaking his hand.

"Have a safe trip, and keep in touch, OK?" Jake said, also shaking his hand.

"That I will," said Mr. Hawkins as he turned to walk back the way they had come.

"Shall we go for a walk?" Jake asked.

"Sure," Heather said, watching the sun turn the high clouds orange and purple.

"Your friend was a little, uh, formal," she said as they walked along. "Did you get to know him very well?"

Jake laughed. "No, I don't suppose I did. I think he must be CIA; they're the ones in class that don't participate during 'Show and Tell'. FBI agents have secrets, but nothing compared to those guys. Whatever agency he belongs to, they wanted him to take this 8-week seminar on domestic terrorism. He showed up in class the first day, didn't talk to anybody, and didn't make friends that I know of. We were both doing laundry in the basement a few days later and I realized he lived upstairs from me. We talked a little, and I told him I was from Jericho. For some reason, he became much friendlier with me after that. Wanted to exchange contact information, and told me I could call him if I ever needed anything. I guess it's a good thing to have someone like that in your contact list," Jake concluded, not sounding totally convinced.

They had reached the commercial area of the wharf and Heather wanted to wander through the shops. Soon, all thoughts of the mysterious Mr. Hawkins were put aside in favor of deciding what to take back to Jericho as gifts.

Jake and Heather left Monterey mid-morning on Saturday, stopping for lunch at a little restaurant south of Big Sur which overlooked the Pacific Ocean. Heather was awe-struck by the magnitude of the ocean, not having seen one before. Jake agreed with her, even after living next to it for 7 months. They reached their destination, the Danish town of Solvang, by late afternoon. They chose a quaint little motel with a pool on Copenhagen Drive and got settled.

"It's too bad our research is taking us to such demanding destinations," Jake teased as they walked out of their room a short while later for dinner.

"It's a tough job, but someone has to do it," Heather said with a laugh as they walked toward the restaurant associated with their hotel: _The __Heidelberg Inn, Restaurant & Beergarden._ They enjoyed the sumptuous smorgasbord for dinner, then a dip in the pool before turning in for the night.

Neither Jake nor Heather was Catholic, but Heather decided they needed the cultural experience of attending 8am Mass at the Santa Ines Mission. She has done a little research into the 21 Franciscan Missions of the California Mission system. Each had its own unique character.

"The missions were spaced 20 miles apart, about the distance one could travel by horse in a day," Heather told Jake as they left the mission just after 9am.

"Is that so," Jake said, still trying to wake up. "How about we get some breakfast; and coffee."

"O.K." said Heather, entirely too perky for this early on a vacation day, Jake thought. "How about we try one of the bakeries we passed as we left the hotel?"

They drove back into Solvang proper, and were soon enjoying a European breakfast of croissants filled with ham and melted cheese followed by croissants filled with melted chocolate.

"I'll bet I could make these at home," Heather said, eyeing the chocolate croissant thoughtfully. "We could start with the croissants from Costco, poke a hole and stuff it with semi-sweet chocolate chips, and microwave it for a few seconds"

"There we go," Jake answered, now fully awake after having had his coffee. "Maybe we don't even need to go to Europe for our honeymoon after all."

"Don't be silly," Heather said, pulling a pen and notebook from her purse. She was making notes for the new-and-improved Jericho. "So, even though your Dad hasn't given us carte blanche to do whatever we want, be seems to be O.K. with things moving along on our list. Hope did the winery research and put in about 5 acres of grape vines on their farm this spring. If we can get the old Cooper place going as a Bed & Breakfast, she will help put in 5 more acres there. I guess Gil had friends in Davis who brewed beer and taught him how. He's always wanted to experiment with a winery, too. Think of all the jobs this would create."

"Speaking of which, just who will run this alleged B&B, according to your evil scheme?" Jake asked teasingly.

Heather ignored his sarcasm, "I haven't said anything to them yet, but I was thinking about Will and Erin McCall. Erin isn't going back to teaching kindergarten after this baby is born, so she will have more time to be at home – potentially working from home. Wes has things at Green Ranch under control, and Owen will probably take over from him as ranch foreman, so this would give Will and Erin a place of their own. I know Will works a few hours a week helping Doc Taylor and Gil as a Vet Tech, but he would be able to have some livestock of his own and do a little farming if he wanted. They could get a wagon and provide hay rides to guests or town residents, and get a carriage to take guests for rides around Historic Jericho. And of course, since they're McCalls, they would have the support of the whole clan to make it work. What do you think?"

"Sounds like you have things all planned out." Jake answered. "How about the farmer's market?"

"That part was easy," Heather replied. "Your Dad invited Hope and I to attend a Town Council meeting and present the proposal for the farmer's market, the co-op for non-food items and the golf carts. Since the farmer's market won't cost anything, they signed right off on it. We're thinking the park behind Town Hall, first Saturday morning of the month. They didn't see any trouble with the co-op market either, since it will be self-sufficient, and they seemed to like the golf-cart idea – they will get back to us next month. Overall, they liked the idea of having a B&B, too."

They had finished breakfast and were strolling along enjoying the sunny day and the colorful shops full of Danish handicrafts. Heather would intermittently jot notes in her notebook and take pictures with her new digital camera to help her remember things. They had lunch and then dinner in the quaint town, holding hands and generally enjoying each other's company until the sun went down and they returned to their hotel room. They opted to watch a movie in their room rather than another visit to the pool.

The hotel room they had rented had two queen-sized beds, and Heather told Jake she was fine with sharing a room under those circumstances. It wasn't as important to her what people thought, but that she was true to herself and her principles. As they cuddled and watched _Sweet Home Alabama_, they laughed at the antics of Reese Witherspoon and enjoyed the happy ending where she and 'Jake' got together and lived happily ever after.

"Who needs Hollywood, I have my own 'Jake' and my own 'happily ever after' story, complete with a story-book garden wedding and a honeymoon to the land of castles and royalty," Heather said as the movie ended and they began to pay attention to each other. Soon things got a little heated between them as they enjoyed the warmth of the blankets and the taste of their kisses.

"I guess I'd better excuse myself and head over to my own bed," Jake said reluctantly.

"I guess you're right," Heather agreed. "But just think, less than 10 weeks until we're married! Aren't you glad we haven't had a long engagement?" Heather asked brightly.

"I don't think I could have survived a long engagement," Jake said with a chuckle. "Isn't this long enough?"

"Apparently, a year is considered a 'proper' engagement, to get everything arranged. We're fortunate to have friends and family helping us with a lot of the details," Heather answered.

"O.K., now I'm grateful for a short engagement," Jake said laughingly, "nothing like a little perspective to change one's mind."

Monday morning, they started out early. They did stop at the Santa Barbara mission just south of Solvang so Heather could take a picture and cross it off her list, then headed straight down the coast past Los Angeles, arriving in San Diego by early afternoon. After seeing all of the beach and ocean views, Jake finally pulled the car into Torrey Pines State Beach and parked in the parking lot. The sand was fine, and black or gray. There were round beach rocks as well as shells littering the beach. As they started to walk south from the parking lot, tall cliffs rose up on their left to where a golf course allegedly sat at the top of the bluffs. World-Famous Torrey Pine Trees grew along the tops of the bluffs and onto the property of the UC San Diego campus. The occasional hang-glider would take a running jump off the bluffs to sail out over the ocean before returning to land on the beach.

After they had walked about a mile down the beach, they found a large square rock protruding away from the bluffs and out into the ocean. There was a channel between the bluffs and the square rock where water could flow freely, and rather rapidly if one were caught unawares. There was a narrow path that led up around the promontory on the bluff side if the tide were high.

They were fortunate to have arrived at low tide, they were told by other beach-goers. Trying to make it around high above the sand or water on that narrow path wasn't very much fun at all. Their new friends encouraged them to climb up onto the big square rock and notice a 'bathtub' like pit carved out of the rock. Old folk lore had it that this was the location of the 'Indian Bathtubs' and one could easily see spaces around the edges of the bathtub where the impressions of people sitting have been worked into the stone. Jake thought it was interesting, and Heather was fascinated. She took a few notes and several pictures. The folks they were visiting with recommended they try the bookstore at the top for additional information.

They walked back the way they had come, again enjoying the precipitous cliffs on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. It was a little too early in the season to swim, but they enjoyed walking in ankle-deep sea water and collecting a few shells and pretty rocks. After they had reached their car, they drove up the other direction and found a little ranger center which did, indeed, have a few books about the area. Heather quickly purchased one and they were back on their way toward Julian.

They decided to take the back roads, going east on the 56 and cutting through the communities of Poway and Ramona. They reached the mountain town of Julian by 4pm and had time to browse through a couple of shops before they closed at 5pm. They returned to the Julian Hotel and checked in, then walked back down Main Street for dinner at the Julian Café. The air had become cool and crisp outside; the warmth and bustle of the family restaurant was welcome.

"San Diego brags that you can go to the beach and the snow in one day here. If you live here, or visit at the right time of year, I can see how that could work," Jake said once they were seated. "I think I could get us to this."

"I agree," Heather responded while looking over the menu, "I wonder if the folks who live here get used to it and stop appreciating it."

"I wonder," Jake said, putting down his menu. "I love Monterey, but I probably don't go to the beach as often as I could. I wanted to learn to surf, but it's just too cold to be in the water up there without a wetsuit."

They ended up ordering the Monday Special – meatloaf with mashed potatoes and salads – with apple pie for desert. Jake commented that he thought apple season was in the fall. Heather, with her new-found culinary knowledge, was able to inform him that apple pie filling could easily be canned and used all year round.

The tourists who had come up for the day soon left to make their way back down the mountain

and the café was left to Jake and Heather and a family with three elementary-school aged kids at the next table. Jake asked if they lived in Julian.

"Yes," said the very blond and tan father, "we live in a cabin on the hill above Cuyamaca." Jake and Heather gave him a blank look, so he went on to explain, "It's the lake you pass on the way up the mountain coming from San Diego."

"Oh," Jake said, now understanding, "we must have come up the back way. I don't remember seeing a lake."

The kids played quietly while the adults talked for quite a while about the positive and negative aspects of living in a touristy town like Julian. The husband worked as a paramedic in San Diego. He said it was a long drive, but worth it to allow his kids to grow up in a rural community. For the most part, they enjoyed the various festivals and events that took place in town, and knew when to avoid the crowds on particular days.

Eventually the kids tired of playing and the café wanted to close, so the two groups made their way back out into the cool, crisp air. The couple, who had introduced themselves as Steve and Lauren, invited Jake and Heather to come to their home the following day so Jake could go fishing with the husband and Heather could hang out with the wife, who had also been a teacher before having children. They considered the offer, but then declined, citing their long-distance relationship and rare opportunities to spend time together as the reason.

On the walk back to the bed and breakfast, Heather expressed surprise that people from California were so friendly; stereotypically they were superficial and self-centered.

"I think you'll find that those stereotypes don't really hold true," Jake said thoughtfully. "If you're nice to people, they will be nice in return. Just like everywhere else."

Jake and Heather enjoyed the next day meandering around the quaint town, talking to locals and visitors, eating good food and finding little gifts to take to their friends back in Jericho. As they started their drive toward San Diego late Tuesday afternoon, Heather noted that Jericho would need to open more restaurants if they wanted to attract visitors from other towns. _Mama Maria's Mexican Restaurant, Bailey's Tavern, _and the newly opened _Cyberjolt Café_ would just not be enough.

Wednesday was spent doing touristy things in San Diego. Jake knew an old Army buddy who lived there, so they got to see a number of sights in just a few hours. Freddy took them to the lighthouse on Point Loma, and they saw where Portuguese explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo landed in 1542. They went to the San Diego Presidio and the San Diego Mission, and then had lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Old Town San Diego. They drove through Balboa Park, home of the world-famous San Diego Zoo and location of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, and continued east through Mission Valley to the top of Mount Helix where they were able to see the sun set over the county. For dinner, Freddy took them back toward the bay where they ate dinner at a seafood restaurant and walked around the shops of Seaport Village. Their hotel was nearby, so Freddy bid them good night, advising them to take the ferry across the bay to Coronado in the morning to see the beautiful white sand beach and the famous Hotel Del Coronado.

When Thursday dawned drizzly, they decided to put Coronado on their list of things to do next time. In the end, they had exchanged contact information with the family they had met in Julian, promising to visit their home the next time they came to town. Steve and Lauren, in return, had promised to stop by Jericho the next time they went to St. Louis to visit Lauren's family. Heather liked the way their future was shaping up; she could finally see beyond the wedding and see what married life might look like.

They left San Diego by mid-morning, heading north along the coast. It had been clear and sunny on their drive down and was overcast today, giving the ocean a completely different personality. They stopped in the beach community of San Juan Capistrano for an early lunch and so Heather could cross another California Mission off of her list. Four and a half hours later, they were stopping in the charming college town of San Luis Obispo for dinner and to see yet another mission. They didn't stay long, and arrived back in Monterey just before 9pm. They would have Friday and Saturday to see Monterey before Heather needed to catch her plane back to Jericho Sunday morning.

Since a storm had moved in and blanketed the coast of southern California with clouds and occasional showers, they decided to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Friday morning, then drive up toward San Francisco for dinner. They had lunch in Santa Cruz, and Heather got to cross another mission off of her list.

When they arrived in San Francisco, they found a parking garage and set out walking. They found a cable car line and rode for a few blocks, then made their way toward Fisherman's Warf where the salt air and the seagulls made their presence known. They walked out along Pier 39 where street performers were entertaining the crowd. From various points, they could see California sea lions lounging on the rocks, with Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. Heather was busy taking pictures as they came to each new sight.

Finally, they grew cold in the foggy air and hungry for dinner. They made their way toward Ghirardelli Square where they saw a few more shops, then ate dinner at a seafood restaurant overlooking the bay. It was midnight by the time they finally arrived back in Monterey at Jake's temporary home.

Worn out from their whirlwind tour of California, Jake and Heather decided to stay close to home on Saturday.

"My mind is on overload, full of images and sights and smells," Heather told Jake as they ate their late breakfast.

"I know what you mean," Jake responded as he sipped his coffee, "Just wait until we're in Europe for two weeks and we're feeling jet-lagged, and people are speaking different languages. It can be a lot to take in."

"I think today is the perfect day to stay in and read, if it's OK with you," Heather asked, picking up a book she had bought the day before: _The Outlander_ by Diana Gabaldon. "I've heard this is a good book, and I want to read it before our trip. It's about Scotland. This author writes crazy long books, each about 1,000 pages, and has written 4 of them so far."

Jake nodded appropriately and picked up a magazine as they went to sit on the couch after breakfast.

They spent the morning reading while cuddled up under a quilt as it rained softly outside. They spoke from time to time of what they were reading or of their future plans.

"So, are you O.K. to go on living at Green Ranch once we get married?" Jake asked Heather.

"Um, yes," Heather responded, "Will it be O.K. with E.J.?"

"Yes, he will be leaving it to me in his will, since I am the oldest grandchild," Jake answered. "I have spent more time there than anyone else, too. I would like to keep up the horse ranching business."

"Sounds good," Heather said. "Is Eric O.K. with that?"

"Yes. He can ride, but otherwise, he couldn't care less about the ranch or the horses. He was always more concerned about going to law school and maybe into politics one day. Works out for both of us. Each of the grandkids will receive a monetary inheritance; theirs will just be larger than mine since I will get the ranch."

"So what do you see as your future, with the FBI and the Army and all," Heather asked the question she'd been wanting to ask for a while.

"Well, I guess I'll finish up grad school, since I'm here. Then, I owe the FBI some time in the Middle East for pay-back. Probably two years. It isn't set in cement, like the military, more like a gentlemen's agreement. Then I can come back to Jericho. Hopefully, I can serve as a consultant or liaison and not have to travel. How does that sound?"

"So, will we get to see each other during those two years?" Heather asked timidly, not really answering his question. Truth be told, she wasn't happy to be separated for that length of time.

"Oh, yes," Jake reassured her. "Even if I'm doing a deep under cover assignment, I will get vacation time. Most of those assignments involve travel, so if you are willing to meet me somewhere, we will see even more of each other."

Heather was only partially reassured. "What about starting a family? I'm not in a particular hurry, but waiting more than 3 years just sounds like a long time. And I want you to be around to see our kids grow up, not off in some other country."

"Hey, it's O.K.," Jake said, wrapping his arms around her as she started to get teary-eyed. "We'll still be able to videoconference, and I think we'll see more of each other than you think."

"I hate that I'm being so needy," Heather said with exasperation. "I've always been O.K. on my own. Look what you've done to me, Jake Green."

"I guess I should feel complimented, future Mrs. Jake Green. In the end, they concluded they would wait until he had graduated and received an assignment to next discuss family planning. Heather felt better now that the discussion was on the table, at least.

Reading forgotten, they cuddled and kissed on the couch for a while until Jake finally announced he was hungry and they should really think about something for dinner. They decided ordering Chinese food and eating in was in keeping with the mood of the day. They were happy and playful by the time the food was delivered and spent the evening laughing over one slap-happy joke or another.

They cuddled together in Jakes bed that night, both for the warmth, and because they knew they wouldn't see each other until the week before the wedding, just over 9 weeks away. It had been a wonderful, whirlwind trip that they both had enjoyed, and the next trip they made would be to the U.K. for their honeymoon. Heather was sad to be leaving Jake, but excited to go home and put the finishing touches on the wedding plans. They fell asleep wound tightly in each other's arms.

On Sunday morning, Heather had to quickly re-pack her things, take a quick shower and get ready to leave for the airport so she wouldn't miss her flight. Jake couldn't believe how much he missed her already. Somehow, in the minimal time they had actually had to spend in the same place, they had come to an understanding and just seemed to fit together perfectly.

"I'll call for a videoconference tomorrow, OK?" Jake asked somewhat redundantly. Of course he would be calling.

"I'll be looking forward to it." Heather answered, her arms wrapped around his neck as though she was never going to let go and board the plane.

"Thank you for coming to visit me," Jake added, now manufacturing topics of conversation.

""And thank you for inviting me, I had a terrific time!" Heather replied. "I'll send you pictures as soon as I have time to edit them."

The final boarding call was coming over the loudspeaker, so Jake kissed Heather thoroughly and squeezed her tightly. "I'll see you soon, future Mrs. Jake Green," he said, "I love you!"

"I love you, too!" she replied as she grabbed her bag and hurried toward the gate.

Jake stood waving until she had disappeared from sight. _Just 8 more weeks of school_, he thought to himself. _I can do this._


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the characters which appeared on CBS,but I do own all the rest of them!

**Author's Note:** This chapter is a bit shorter than I had anticipated, but it's done! The honeymoon trip will be the next chapter, and I anticipate it will take longer due to the amount of research involved.

**Chapter XXV: A Celtic Garden Wedding**

**May 30-31, 2003**

Heather couldn't believe the day was practically here. Jake had completed his first year at The Institute and come home from Monterey on May 17. She'd had 2 more weeks of school, but it was widely known that not a lot got accomplished the last week or two of school.

She locked the door of her classroom at noon on Friday, after the last of the students had gone home for the summer. She went over the lists of things for the wedding in her mind and smiled as she mentally crossed things off. Madelyn and Erin had thrown her a bridal shower a few weeks earlier – a lingerie shower, since she would continue living at Green Ranch and wouldn't need a lot of kitchen items. Stanley was hosting Jake's bachelor party at Bailey's Tavern that night. She trusted Jake implicitly, but she was still glad the party was Baily's – she would know about everything that happened by morning. She also knew Stanley was very protective of her and wouldn't allow anything to happen that would hurt her feelings.

Heather's Uncle Henryk had arrived from Buffalo, New York, the day before and promptly bonded with E.J. Green. Henryk was the younger brother of Heather's father and still lived in the small Polish community where Heather's father had grown up. Their parents had grown up there after their grandparents had emigrated from Poland on the late 1800's. E.J. and Henryk were spending the evening at the ranch house swapping military stories (Henryk had served in Korea), and various stories of the good old days.

Rather than the usual pot-luck dinner at the bunk house, the ladies were having a party of their own. Erin, Joanna and Madelyn had insisted that they do something special the last evening before her wedding. Hope, April and Gail were invited as well as the out-of-town Green and McCall ladies who were there for the wedding, Bonnie Richmond, and Emily Sullivan (who Heather had actually become friendly with since the disaster drill).

Since all of the silly games had already been played at the bridal shower, it was a nice evening of champagne, good food, reminiscing about Jake's childhood, Heather telling the ladies about her own Mother and how much she would have loved Jake and to have been present for the wedding. Gail told Heather again how happy she was to have her as a new daughter. Then the married ladies told anecdotes about their own weddings, how things went wrong and then were righted, etc. They hemmed the dresses of the bridesmaids while they talked, getting everything ready for the following day.

The morning of May 31 finally arrived, dawning sunny and clear. Jake had spent the night at the Richmond Ranch after his bachelor party, according to the plan. He and Stanley would arrive at the ranch shortly before the wedding, which was to start at 1pm. Hope, April and Gail arrived just after 9am and joined the others at the bunk house for brunch.

Hope and Heather had worked on the garden all spring to get the right trees and plants in the right places and blooming in time for the ceremony. Wes and Will had helped then put up a canopy to shade the brick decking where the actual ceremony would be held, then the chairs would be rearranged and tables set up so the reception could be held in the same place. Lauren and Travis Reed arrived that morning with Ian and his kilt. Travis' father and his Celtic band also arrived and had set themselves up in a corner under the canopy. Lively music could be heard throughout the ranch and bunk houses, and helped calm apprehensive nerves. Hope brought the last-minute flowers and bouquets with her when she came for breakfast. The flowers and dresses were at the ranch house under the direction of Gail Green, and everything food-related was at the bunk house under the direction of Joanna McCall.

Heather, Hope and April were getting ready at the ranch house with Gail fussing over them. They had returned to the shop Gloria from _Hawthorne Vintage_ had recommended and found dresses perfect for Hope (who had delivered Hunter three months earlier) and April (who was just starting the second trimester of her pregnancy). The mothers of the flower girls had opted to make their dresses – styled along the same idea as Heather's vintage dress with ecru lace and tulle overskirts.

Hope had helped Heather with her hair, putting it up in pin curls the evening before at the party so it was a mass of ringlets in the morning. She drew it up into a loose chignon with ringlets escaping and cascading down around Heather's face. Heather, who didn't usually wear much make-up, agreed to allow Hope a modest application. Gail had been helping April and the flower girls while Hope was working her magic. She turned around and, seeing Heather, became tearful.

"Oh. Heather, you are just beautiful!" Gail said, trying not to cry.

"Oh, no, no crying allowed; you are not to ruin her make-up," Hope said with a laugh and a hug for Gail.

Hope placed the wreath of flowers in Heather's hair and attached the small veil, then attached her own wreath of flowers to her hair and they were pretty much done. The three flower girls each had a small wreath of flowers in their hair and a basket of white rose petals. Young Ian had been dressed by Lauren and looked adorable in his kilt. Lorraine Young stepped in to tell them that everything was ready when they were.

Since the whole group hadn't officially rehearsed together, the ladies and children had run through things that morning. They went out the back way and around to the rear of the canopied arbor. The Celtic musicians were playing a lively tune as Bernadette McCall (3) and Ian Reed (2) held hands and danced their way down the aisle, Bernadette throwing rose petals somewhat haphazardly with the hand she wasn't using to hold the basket and young Ian. Julie McCall (5) went next, putting her Irish dance lessons into practice to dance down the aisle; Megan Young (6) went right behind her, doing the same thing. April and Hope looked at each other – they had both taken those same obligatory dance classes, so off they went, April first, then Hope, doing dance steps down the short aisle. The music changed only slightly as Heather came into view and the wedding guests stood up. E.J. at Heather's side had a tissue in his hand and was trying not to have to use it. Heather was smiling brightly, with eyes only for Jake, at the front of the group. E.J. twirled her around coming down the aisle in keeping with the others dance performances, and then deposited her on Jake's arm for the ceremony proper. The wedding guests were laughing and clapping at the show before them.

Reverend Young called the group to order. "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses . . ." By that point, Heather had given up all pretense of paying attention to the words being said by Reverend Young. All she could do was allow the huge smile to shine from her face toward Jake as he smiled back.

The next thing she knew, there was a commotion and Jake was speaking to her.

"I, Johnston Jacob Green, take you Heather Elizabeth Lisinski, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part."

And then it was her turn.

"I, Heather Elizabeth Lisinski, take you Johnston Jacob Green, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part."

Then Jake was motioning young Ian from Lauren's lap in the front row to retrieve the rings. He handed his ring to her, and then began speaking again.

"This ring is a token of my love. I marry you with this ring, with all that I have and all that I am."

And Heather responded "I will forever wear this ring as a sign of my commitment and the desire of my heart," as he slipped his grandmother's wedding ring onto her finger to join the engagement ring. They had chosen a plain white gold band for Jake, so they said the words of the ring ceremony in reverse and Heather slipped Jake's ring onto his left ring finger.

Reverend Young said a closing prayer, and then he was announcing "By the power vested in me by the State of Kansas, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jake was not slow to take advantage of the invitation and dipped Heather backward as he kissed her. The Celtic musicians began to play as the audience clapped. Eventually the kiss ended and Reverend Young was able to complete the ceremony.

"I am delighted to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Johnston Jacob Green the Second."

Everyone clapped and stood up as Jake and Heather started the procession back down the aisle. Jake, having seen the wedding party come in doing Irish dance steps, did his best to keep up the continuity as he and Heather walked out of the area, followed by Stanley and Hope, Eric and April, Megan, Julie and Bernadette. Ian had succumbed to naptime on his father's lap despite the music and clapping.

The wedding guests swiftly vacated the area to congratulate Jake and Heather as they passed them at the rear of the arbor. The McCall family, and soon everyone else not otherwise occupied, began setting up tables and rearranging chairs as Jake and Heather chatted with guests on the lawn.

A buffet table was set up in front where the altar had been just moments before, and Joanna's crew of kitchen helpers began bringing out plates and utensils followed by a delicious array of Celtic food which included shepherd's pie, potato cakes, corned beef and colcannon, Irish soda bread, scones, cucumber sandwiches, homemade Irish bangers, haggis, Scotch eggs, Welsh rarebit, Monmouth pudding, and Welsh rice pudding. Heather had campaigned for simple food, but Joanna, Erin and Madelyn had gotten on board with the Celtic theme and had a great time locating recipes and trying them out, looking for a nice cross-section of food that everyone would enjoy.

A well-stocked bar had sprung up near the buffet table. Uncle Emmett and his lady friend Eleanor had taken it upon themselves to serve drinks; in this way she was able to meet the majority of the wedding guests. She did, indeed, have a lovely British accent, and was quite friendly and outgoing. Wedding guests soon had food and drinks and found seats at the round tabled that had been set up under the canopy.

In a rare moment of sociability, the usually shy Scout McCall stood and tapped his fork against his glass, calling for a toast.

"I've been here on Green Ranch for 52 years, and I've seen Young Jake grow up to be the fine man he is today. I've gotten to know Miss Heather a little, in the years she's lived here. I'm so happy for both of them. Please join me in the Irish blessing that never goes out of style:

_"May the road rise up to meet you.__  
__May the wind be always at your back.__  
__May the sun shine warm upon your face;__  
__the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,__  
__may God hold you in the palm of His hand."_

_As Scout began to speak, many others joined in the familiar Irish saying. The musicians then resumed playing and everyone enjoyed the music, the food, and the good company. As they completed their meal, Stanley rose and called for a toast, the traditional responsibility of the Best Man._

_"I've known Jake my whole live. We've gotten into more trouble together than I'd care to admit, but you all probably know about all of that. Jake has been there for me through the difficult times in my life as well as the fun times. He is a good friend, and I wish him the very best in married life. I've gotten to know Heather while she has lived here in Jericho, and she has become like another sister to me. I can't think of two better people to be happy together. Thank you all for helping to make this day special for my good friends. To Jake and Heather!"_

Everyone toasted "To Jake and Heather".

Other toasts followed, then the cake was cut and pieces distributed. Heather thought to herself that Joyce Adams had outdone herself with the cake. The musicians continued to play a variety of songs, with some of the ranch musicians taking turns so they could have a break and enjoy lunch. The younger members of the group performed additional Celtic dance pieces, and then others danced as the music permitted.

Heather sat in her chair, worn out from all of the excitement, bright smile still adorning her face as she watched Jake dance with the flower girls. She and Jake had spent most of the afternoon walking around, talking with the wedding guests. Her Uncle Henryk came over and sat in Jake's unoccupied seat.

"It looks like you're happy, Heather," he started.

"Yes, I am. Like I never thought I would be. After Mama died, and then Daddy, I was afraid I would teach and live out my life as a lonely spinster or a crazy cat lady. Then I met Jake, He's just different than anyone I've ever known. I know we haven't had much time to talk since you arrived, and we will be leaving soon, but I want to thank you so much for coming all of this way for our special day. I was so sorry to hear that Aunt Sophia died in the spring, and I just wasn't sure if you would be able to make the trip."

"As you know, we never had children," Henryk continued, "so we considered you to be partially ours, too. Aunt Sophia would have loved to be here today and see your new family and your new life. I think it suits you well. Your parents would have been so proud of you and all the things you have accomplished, mostly on your own. Since none of them could come, I had to come and see for myself that this family was right for you and would take good care of you. E.J. is a good man, and it seems like the whole family adored you and is willing to move heaven and earth to make you happy. That's good. Just remember, if you ever need anything, you come to me or to the community. Our family goes back over a century in the community, and we take care of their own."

"Thank you, Uncle Henryk, it means a lot to me." Heather said, giving her uncle a big hug. "I'll try and call when we get home from our honeymoon to make sure you had a safe trip back. How long can you stay in Jericho?"

"My plane goes back Monday morning. E.J. said I could stay here at the ranch house with him and we could get to know one another better, then he would take me to the airport on Monday. Very nice, E.J. is."

"Yes, he is." Heather agreed. "He reminds me a lot of Daddy."

"I can see where you would think that. Well, I'd better let you see to your other guests. Thank you so much for inviting me, Heather."

"You're welcome, thank you for coming. I love you, Uncle Henryk." Heather said, giving her uncle another hug as he rose and returned to his seat next to E.J.

Jake was the next to come and sit beside Heather, motioning to his watch. They needed to be at the Jericho Air Terminal by 6pm to catch their short flight to Kansas City. They would be staying one night at South Moreland on the Plaza in the honeymoon suite before flying on to New York and across to the U.K. the following day. They needed to say their thank-you's and good-bye's, change their clothing, collect their bags, and leave shortly.

"Will you join me for one last dance, Mrs. Green?" Jake asked.

"Why yes, thank you, Mr. Green." Heather answered with a smile.

They took a turn around the dance floor and shared a kiss, and then began the process of thanking and bidding each guest good bye. Most folks completely understood, and encouraged them to go and get ready for their flight. The party would go on without them for a number of hours; no point in letting that good food and alcohol go to waste!

Heather quickly changed into her travel outfit – a floral dress with a melon-colored cardigan that coordinated. Jake soon emerged in khakis and a polo shirt. They loaded their bags into the back of Jake's car and Johnston came out to chauffer then to the air terminal. While they had been changing, Stanley and Eric had managed to tie cans to the back of Jake's car and use shaving cream to spray '_JUST MARRIED'_ onto the rear window. Jake just laughed; it wasn't like there was a soul in Jericho that wasn't aware of the wedding. The wedding guests came out to the driveway to see the couple off, clapping and shouting well-wishes as Johnston drove out of the driveway.

"Congratulations, you two," Johnston said as soon as he got settled driving. "Your Mother and I are so happy for both of you. We're happy Jake found someone he can be happy with, and we're tickled pink to have you as a daughter, Heather. We don't think Jake could have made a better choice. Now have a wonderful honeymoon trip, and we'll see you in two weeks."

With that, they had made the short trip to the air terminal and Johnston was pulling up at the curb. Jake got their bags out of the trunk and shook his father's hand. Johnston pulled him in for a hug, and then hugged Heather as well. They made their way into the small building, checked in and boarded the charter flight without incident. They were the only passengers on the small plane, so Jake put his arm around Heather as soon as they were airborne.

"We did it," he said, elated that they had made it through the day and he finally had Heather to himself. "You are particularly beautiful today, Mrs. Green," he said as he kissed her softly.

"And you looked particularly handsome, Mr. Green, even if you wouldn't wear a kilt," she teased, kissing him back. The flight went quickly, and soon they were landing in Kansas City, ready to start their honeymoon.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters that appeared on the TV series Jericho.

**Author's Note:** Well, this took quite a bit longer than I had anticipated, and the honeymoon trip is only half way through. Since I'm already past 20 pages, I will split the trip into two chapters. Hopefully the second half won't take me as long as the first! Of course various health issues and the start of school also bogged down the works. Special thanks to my two loyal reviewers Shadowflame and KatShannon for their encouragement!

**Chapter XXVI: A Honeymoon in the Land of Castles and Kings (Part 1)**

**June 1-15, 2003**

Once they deplaned and collected their luggage, it was a short taxi ride to the Plaza where they checked in to the South Moreland Inn. The Carriage House Suite, which was used as the honeymoon suite, was decorated in a Country French style in cream and rich red patterns. The suite came complete with a wood-burning stove, a 2-person Jacuzzi, and a private deck.

A bell boy had assisted Jake and Heather in taking their luggage up to their room. When they reached the door, Jake scooped Heather up in order to carry her over the threshold. Heather squealed, and scrambled to retrieve her camera from her purse so the bell boy could take their picture. The three were giggling as Jake gave the unsuspecting bell boy a nice tip and they got settled into their room. It was almost 8pm.

"I'll just go freshen up," Heather said as she picked up her cosmetic bag and headed toward the bathroom.

"Would you like to go for a dip in the Jacuzzi?" Jake called after her. There were not too many Jacuzzis in Jericho, Kansas.

"Sure." Heather called back from the bathroom.

"Also, what would you like to order from room service? Are you hungry for dinner, or snacks, or deserts?" Jake asked through the bathroom door. "A bottle of champagne comes complimentary, and then we could order dinner-type meals or hors d'oeuvres, and then desert if we're still hungry."

"Hors d'oeuvres and desert sounds about right," Heather called back through the closed door.

Heather emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later wearing an indigo-colored lacy camisole and short set under a matching kimono robe which was wrapped snuggly around her. She went and sat on the edge of the bed, intently examining her hands, all of the previous giddiness gone from her demeanor.

Jake noticed the gravity of her mood and went to sit next to her.

"Hey, are you O.K.?" Jake asked softly, careful not to invade her personal space.

"Yes, I'm alright. Waiting ones whole life to participate in _certain activities_ certainly puts a lot of pressure on a girl, doesn't it?" Heather hazarded a glance in Jake's general direction before looking back toward her hands.

Jake noticed that the color of Heather's lingerie made her eyes sparkle more than usual. It was all he could do to continue speaking calmly with her.

"No pressure. We have the rest of our lives together, Mrs. Green," he said gently, with a sympathetic smile, hoping to lighten her mood. "We're two friends; best friends, I would hazard to say, who are taking the trip of a lifetime together and enjoying each other's company. There are no tests to pass on this trip, just you and me having a good time and taking some pictures to show our friends back home. Like spring break, remember? Now why don't you come sit over here and tuck your feet into the Jacuzzi – your feet must be tired from all the standing we did today."

Heather acquiesced, and soon they were perched on the edge of the Jacuzzi, their feet soaking in the warm water. Jake had changes into comfortable shorts and a T-shirt earlier. Heather agreed that the water felt good.

"That is a great color for you," Jake said after a few minutes. "It makes your eyes look so blue."

"Why, thank you," Heather said with a hesitant smile, starting to relax.

Room service arrived shortly thereafter, so they dried their feet and went to sit at the table where they found a selection of crab cakes, salmon en croute, petite quiche Lorraine, assorted finger sandwiches and deviled eggs. For desert, there was a tray of raspberry pyramids, black cherry frangipane tarts, lemon bars, strawberry shortcake pastries, death by chocolate brownies, and ripe strawberries dipped in chocolate and then whipping cream. Since they had barely been able to enjoy the wedding reception, this looked like a heavenly opportunity. Once the room service attendant had left, they glanced at each other and giggled, then dug in, tasting a little bit of everything, coming back to eat more of the things they particularly enjoyed.

With the tension broken, they enjoyed their late night snack, and drank more than a little champagne while toasting their various friends and family members who had made the day possible. Jake had brought along the I-pod he used at school to tune out unwanted noise while he studied. He had plugged it into its docking station when they arrived, and a soft, romantic set of music had been playing during the evening. As they completed their meal, the song _She's Got a Way About Her _by Billy Joel started to play. Jake held out his hand and he danced with Heather until the last strains died away, and then he kissed her. All of the anxiety she had experienced earlier had evaporated, and she leaned into Jake's arms. He gently caressed her cheek while he pushed back the errant curls that kept escaping from their pins.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked looking into her eyes, his voice a bit hoarse with emotion.

"Yes, thank you," Heather responded, completely engrossed in the moment and looking back into Jake's eyes.

"More dancing, or shall we get comfortable?" Jake asked.

"Comfortable," Heather mumbled, continuing to kiss Jake as he picked her up and carried her toward the king-sized bed. _In The Arms of An Angel_ by Sarah McLachlan had started to play on the I-pod, and they did, indeed make themselves comfortable for the night.

The next morning, Jake got up early and had a fire going in the wood burning stove to warm up the room. He had called room service and ordered breakfast before Heather woke up. Finally, he needed to awaken her so they could eat and get to the airport without having to be rushed. He kissed her gently along the jawline until he reached her ear.

"Good morning, Mrs. Green. Breakfast will be here in just a few minutes, if you would like to get up," he said softly as he nuzzled against her neck.

Heather opened her eyes slowly and smiled up at Jake. She could smell the fire and hear it crackling. "What's for breakfast," she asked, kissing him good morning. "I'm famished!"

"I thought you might be, after all of the stress of the wedding. I think you'll be happy when it arrives in a few minutes," he responded.

Room service knocked at the door and Heather scurried toward the bathroom to freshen up. She came out a few minutes later to find a veritable feast of eggs and sausage, French toast and cut up fruit. She had tea to drink while Jake had coffee; each had an arm draped across the table so they could hold hands while they enjoyed breakfast.

"I fear I've made a grave mistake." Jake finally said, looking into Heather's eyes in all seriousness.

Heather looked back at him with a panicked expression. Was he already tired of her when they had been married less than a day? She wasn't able to say a word, just stared at him in horror.

"I should never have suggested Europe for our honeymoon," he said, not picking up on her dismay. "We should have stayed in Jericho, or here in Kansas City. I don't want to go out and see things, I want to stay in and enjoy your company for the whole two weeks we have together."

Heather let out the breath she had been holding. Tears came to her eyes as relief flooded over her. "I thought _I_ was the mistake," she finally said quietly, looking down.

"Oh, Heather, I'm so sorry," Jake said. "Why would you even think something like that?"

"I guess I still feel like the nerdy girl I was in high school, and a part of me still can't believe someone like you would be interested in me, let alone marry me."

Jake stood up and walked around the table, still holding her hand. He helped her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, silencing her with a kiss, and then kissing her hair as she buried her face against his chest.

"Heather, _you_ are my life. I asked _you_ to marry me because I couldn't imagine living without you. I want _you_ to be the mother of our children. I want us to grow old together. I love you just the way you are, with all of your ideas and interests. I'm sorry I said the wrong thing, I meant it as a compliment, not to scare you."

Heather finally looked up at him with a watery smile. "I guess the stress of the past few weeks finally got to me," she said. "I'm sorry; here I am being needy again. How is it that you manage to do this to me?" Heather asked with a laugh, giving Jake her best teacher glare.

"Um, I guess I like being needed?" Jake asked as he played with a strand of her hair, still curly from the wedding. "I can think of a way you could make it up to me," he said, leering at her. "How much time do you need to get ready to go?"

"Oh, about an hour," she answered with a laugh.

"Great! We have an hour and a half before we need to leave," he said, kissing her again and drawing her with him toward the bed.

They made it to the airport with minutes to spare for their 2-hour pre-flight check-in. They browsed around the airport shopping area briefly where Jake picked the most recent copy of _Kitplanes_ magazine that had just hit the shelves, and then they settled into seats near their gate to read. Heather had completed the first of Diana Gabaldon's books and had brought along the second: _Dragonfly in Amber_. The time passed quickly, and their plane boarded on time for a 1pm take-off.

Heather read on the flight while Jake slept. They arrived in New York at JFK just before 5pm. Their connecting flight to London was not until 7:30pm, but they didn't want to risk missing their international flight by venturing out into the city. They found the gate of their next flight and waited. Heather was somewhat familiar with New York from her years in college. Jake was very familiar with traveling in general. People-watching became the occupation of choice when they ran out of other things to do.

At last, their Delta flight to London's Heathrow International Airport began boarding. Because Jake had accrued so many frequent flier miles with Delta, they had upgraded their seats to first class for this leg of the journey. They were among the first to board, and were soon comfortable in their oversized seats with warm towels to wash their fingers and the offer of snacks and beverages. Jake ordered a split of champagne with the snacks. He and Heather toasted their first 24 hours of wedded bliss and their first international flight together. All of her apprehensions from earlier forgotten, she was bright and cheerful now, enjoying the champagne and refreshments.

Once the flight got underway, they pulled the armrest between their seats up and proceeded to get comfortable, cuddling together with the pillows and blankets provided by the flight attendant. Their flight was scheduled to land at London's Heathrow International Airport just before 8am local time. They wanted to be somewhat refreshed and able to spend the day enjoying London rather than feeling jetlagged.

Amazingly, they both slept well on the flight, and made it through customs quite easily. Once free of the airport, they decided to locate a place to stay, and then set out to explore the city a bit. They found a place that looked interesting called Palmers Lodge and Hostel which allowed travelers of all ages to stay for reasonable rate, offered free breakfast and internet connection, and was centrally located. They took a taxi since they were in a hurry to get settled; they would probably utilize the tube system in the future.

Once they were settled into a private room, they freshened up and set out for the day in comfortable clothing and walking shoes. They chose to start with a two hour bus tour which would take them past many of the main attractions. Then they could decide if they needed to go back and spend more time with a particular interest.

They were able to get seats at the top of a double-decker bus for the tour that started at 10:15. They saw Big Ben, the Tower of London, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace and many other London sights before they returned at 12:30pm. They decided to have lunch at a nearby pub, opting to try the fish and chips.

"This is really good," Heather said, crunching into the crispy fish. "The tartar sauce is different."

"It is good," Jake agreed. "Too bad Jericho is so far from the ocean, I love seafood."

"Well, I happen to be married to a pilot. Maybe one day he could fly us to some coast to eat seafood," Heather said playfully.

"Hey, that's an idea," Jake answered, playing along. "I hear he's a pretty good pilot at that. Actually, I can't believe we haven't had the opportunity to go flying together yet. Between the weather and my schedule, I'll have to re-learn everything before I can fly again!"

They discussed the places they had seen on their bus tour and decided they were satisfied and didn't need to return to any of those places. They decided to set out on foot after lunch, poking up and down the cobblestoned streets, eating snacks along the way when they found something appealing. They enjoyed exploring areas that were not typically tourist destinations, and struck up conversations with those around them.

The afternoon had gone so well that they decided to spend the next day in London doing the same thing. They were able to see quite a bit of London by purchasing day-long tube passes and setting out in various directions, then working their way back toward where they had started. Heather had purchased a guide book for the entire United Kingdom, so she was able to suggest a few off-the-beaten-path places they really enjoyed.

By Wednesday morning, they decided to make use of Jake's international driver's license and rent a car for the parts of their trip that would take them to Scotland and Wales. They checked out of Palmer's Lodge and Hostel, thanking the very friendly Palmer family for their hospitality. They took a spin around the Greater London area, stopping briefly in the seaside resort of Folkestone on their way to Dover to view the English Channel and the picturesque White Cliffs of Dover. A ferry was standing by, ready to take them across to Calais, France as per the novel _The Scarlet Pimpernel_. At first, Jake and Heather declined the trip, putting it on their list to do the next time they were in the area. Then, they looked at each her and asked simultaneously, "Why not?"

The ferry trip was 90 minutes each direction and they could take their rented car with them. They discussed the possibilities for a moment, and decided to take the next ferry, stay the night in France, and return to England the next morning to continue their drive. They had eaten a hearty breakfast at Palmer's before checking out, and they would be taking the 11am ferry, so they decided to eat lunch in France. Once they had bought their tickets, they walked around the area, taking pictures and enjoying the brisk sea air. They had been fortunate to have enjoyed fair weather thus far on their trip.

They could see the ferry approaching long before it arrived, and were waiting in their car to drive aboard once they were allowed. They parked and went topside, again enjoying the salty air. It was much cooler once they got underway, such that Heather was shivering despite the sweater she was wearing. Jake put his arms around her to shield her from the wind and some of the water spray as they watched the white cliffs of Dover disappear into the distance.

Once they could no longer see the shore due to fog, they went inside and sat at a table to wait. Heather pulled a deck of cards out of her traveling bag ("It's _not_ a teacher bag while we are on vacation," she had advised Jake.) They played a few hands of Gin Rummy and realized afresh how fiercely competitive they both were. While they played, they spoke of their enjoyment of history. Heather liked hers in the form of historical novels and Jake liked his to revolve around Military History, but the end result was that they each were well-read and enjoyed travel based, in part, on the history of the area.

All too soon, their ferry was arriving in Calais, France. They were allowed to return to their rented car and followed the other vehicles along to dry land. The customs official greeted them in French, and then spoke to them in English when it was obvious that Jake's high school French wasn't pretty.

"Are you bringing alcohol or tobacco into the country for commercial purposes?" He asked.

"No, we are just here in Calais for the day and night. We are on our honeymoon," Jake answered.

"Oh, congratulations," he answered. "Do you have a place to stay?" He asked.

"Not yet, this part of the trip was spur of the moment," Jake said with a laugh.

"There are little cottages near the beach that I can recommend if you are interested," he asked them.

"Sure," Jake responded, "That would be great."

"Just turn left on the main road and travel about 5km, then turn left again after the blue farmhouse. The people in the yellow farmhouse will help you. Tell them Pierre sent you. Enjoy your stay in France!" And with that, he waved them along.

"Thank you, Pierre!" Jake called as they drove away. "Well, that was interesting," he said to Heather. "And they say the French aren't very friendly."

"Do you think it's safe?" Heather asked. "It could be some kind of a racket to steal money from unsuspecting tourists."

"It could be, but I don't think Pierre would have a job with the Port Authority for long if he was involved in a racket. Do you want to check out the cottages?"

"Sure, we can check them out," Heather responded, confident that Jake would be able tell if the proprietors were legitimate.

It only took a few minutes to locate the blue house, and then the yellow one. From the road, they could see a row of six neatly kept white cottages between the yellow house and the coast. Once they had stopped their car, an older woman wearing an apron over her striped dress came out to meet them, a dishtowel in her hands.

"I am Colette Moreau. This is the home of my family. Are you here to see one of the cottages?" She spoke in English with a thick French accent.

Jake and Heather exchanged a glance, nodded, and got out of the car.

"Yes, please," Heather said with a smile as Colette dried her hands on the dishtowel she held, tossing it across her shoulder when she was done.

"Pierre phoned and told me we might have visitors. He is such a good boy, sending us patrons. He went to school with my sons," Colette beamed with maternal pride, although Pierre and her sons were older than Jake and Heather; probably closer to the age of their parents. "Come; let me show you our best cottage. Pierre told me you are celebrating your marriage. May God Bless you both richly."

It was a short walk across the grassy lot to the cottage in question. It was really much more than they needed for one night, but it was so convenient and Madam Moreau so gracious that they couldn't say no. The interior of the cottage was decorated in the style that had probably led to the popular 'Country French' design. It was mostly one large square room with a claw-footed bathtub at an angle in one corner, a large bed at an angle in another corner with a gauzy canopy and a beautiful blue and white quilt, a kitchenette area and quaint round table in the third corner, and a small white couch with blue and white pillows and a blue throw in the final corner. Heather noticed a small partition cleverly disguised with drapery and concluded it must conceal the rest of the bathroom facilities. Opposite the front entrance were French doors that led onto a veranda that ran the length of the cottage and overlooked the beach and the English Chanel. Once on the veranda they found a comfortable wooden bench, complete with more pillows, and flowering plants hanging in baskets along the eves.

"Have you eaten yet?" Madam Moreau was asking. "I can bring you bread and soup if you are hungry, then you can enjoy the sunny afternoon along the shore. Perhaps then you would like to go into town to eat dinner at one of the fancy restaurants? The evening meal is usually eaten rather late in France."

"That would be wonderful, but we don't want to inconvenience you," Jake said, unsure of proper protocol for the situation.

"Twaddle," replied Madam Moreau with a shake of her head, "it is no inconvenience. I will return shortly, if you would like to get settled."

Jake brought the car to a space closer to the cottage and brought in their bags while Heather freshened up. Indeed, Madam Moreau was back promptly with a covered tureen of hearty beef and vegetable soup, half of a loaf of crusty bread and wedge of cheese. She also had a bottle of French wine tucked into her apron. Giving them a knowing smile as she set everything on the round table, she indicated that they should find everything else they needed in the kitchenette.

Once alone, Heather found bowls, plates and silverware and they sat down to lunch. The soup was delicious and filling, the bread and cheese complimenting it perfectly. Soon they were full and changed into beach clothing in order to explore their surroundings. The sun was shining, but the air was cool and breezy, and the water positively bracing when they got their feet wet. They decided to sit on the beach blanket and watch the sea birds soaring over the water.

After a few moments of playful kissing and cuddling that threatened to turn into something more serious and force them to return to their room, they decided to settle down and talk. They would leave the romantic pursuits for later, when the sun wasn't shining on the beach.

When Jake asked Heather about her life-long hopes and dreams, she said he had done a pretty good job at sending things down the right path. She had always wanted to be a wife and mother; she was using her education to teach school in the meantime. If God had not seen fit for her to become a wife and mother, she had hoped she could be happy with her students. She knew the importance of being an influence in the life of a child - one's own or someone else's as a teacher. She loved to read and study, and to pass the knowledge she gained along to others.

Jake thought Heather's goals were pretty reasonable. His own goals, he told her, had been to start a flight school and teach people how to become pilots. He expressed hope that, once his FBI commitment was completed, he could return home and set up a flight school in Jericho.

It made Heather happy to hear Jake talking about the rest of their lives. With all of the minor changes being implemented in Jericho, it should remain a good place to live for a long time to come. They talked on and on, watching the clouds move in but not really paying attention to them. Suddenly, they saw lightening and heard a clap of thunder only moments after, while great drops of rain started to fall on the beach. They laughed and quickly gathered their things, running back to their cottage and getting soaked to the skin in the process.

Once inside, they noticed their lunch had been cleared away and in its place was a note from Madam Moreau with the name of a restaurant and simple driving directions, in case they would like a dinner recommendation. She noted that dinner was served from 7pm-11pm, and the attire was somewhat dressy, so they would know how to prepare.

It was only 4pm, so they had plenty of time, and they were cold and wet. Jake pointed to the bathtub and Heather nodded. Soon, their wet clothing was drying on the backs of the chairs and they were immersed in a warm bubble bath. They laughed and blew scoops of bubbles at each other, and then Jake washed Heather's hair as she relaxed against him.

At last the water was getting cold and they were developing wrinkles on their fingers and toes. The cottage was equipped with fluffy white towels that had obviously been dried on a clothesline, by their smell. They dried off and discussed the merits of going out to dinner versus staying in and eating whatever they could find in their baggage. They finally decided to go out, since they probably wouldn't be back in France again soon.

The _Cote d'Argent_ restaurant was blue and white; probably built to resemble a boat and definitely decorated that way. They had worn the only dressy clothing they had brought on the trip; Heather in a black sweater dress with her hair up and hoop earrings, Jake in black slacks with a charcoal shirt and black tie. They felt they were dressed correctly when they walked into the restaurant, and were thankful Madam Moreau had given them the tip.

They arrived around 7:30, and found that several other groups were already seated in the restaurant. A sophisticated blond woman greeted them in French as they entered. Jake did his best to ask in French for a table for two, but the woman clearly didn't understand, tilting her head to the side with a puzzled took on her face. Jake was mildly embarrassed, and asked again in English.

The woman broke out in a broad smile. "Nebraska?" She asked in a very American sounding voice.

"Kansas, but up near the Nebraska border. How about you?" Jake answered, laughing along with Heather and the woman.

"North Dakota," she replied, holding out her hand to shake with each of them in turn. "I'm Audrey Lefebvre, wife of the owner. I came to Paris to study to be a chef when I was 20. I met Bertrand and we discovered a mutual interest in food. His parents opened this restaurant 35 years ago, and we took it over about 10 years ago when they retired. I usually cook, but week nights are quiet and the hostess was ill, so I was able to fill in. Come; let's get you settled at a table."

Audrey Lefebvre seated them at a table overlooking the English Channel. Although it was dark, the moon was shining on the water, and they could see the lights of ships in the distance.

"I hope you like seafood," Audrey continued. "We offer a full course dinner which starts with Hors d'oeuvre of salmon pate, then a light fish consommé, then the fish course, which is roasted lobster on leeks with an apple and ginger compote. A lemon sorbet will then be served to clear your palate before the entre is served: filet mignon with steamed garden vegetables and boiled new potatoes. A green salad will then be served, followed by a cheese plate with assorted cut up fruit, and finally, your choice from the dessert tray. Will that be satisfactory?" Audrey finally came up for air after reciting the menu at an incredible speed.

"My word, it sounds like enough food to serve a town for a week," Jake said with a laugh.

"It sounds very good, though," Heather added, not wanting to sound unappreciative.

"The food arrives one course at a time, allowing you to enjoy each course," Audrey informed them with a laugh. "The French like to enjoy their food and take their time. Most of these people will be here until we close at midnight, enjoying a bottle of wine or a last cup of coffee. Not like the States, where we race to get into and out of a restaurant as quickly as we can. Much better for the digestion, actually, and one is less likely to overeat. I've noticed far less obesity in France than when we travel back to the States to visit."

"I can see the logic there," Heather said, her mind whirling with ideas for the restaurant she was thinking Jericho's Bed & Breakfast should offer. Jake recognized the distant look in her eyes and called her back to the here-and-now before they lost her entirely.

Audrey excused herself to get their dinner started, returning promptly with a bottle of wine and a fresh loaf of bread on a cutting board. A waiter brought their salmon pate shortly thereafter.

"She is certainly very nice," Heather said between bites of the crusty bread. "I wonder if Colette knew Audrey was an ex-pat when she recommended this place."

"I'm sure she did," Jake responded, "everyone seems to know everything in this town, not unlike Jericho. Calais is much larger overall, but the port community is probably quite interconnected."

Soon their consommé arrived, followed by the lobster course. Both Jake and Heather were enjoying their meal a great deal. They tasted the lemon sorbet to cleanse their palates, and then moved on to the main course. When they had completed it, Audrey materialized with their salads and a vinaigrette dressing. They agreed it tasted good after the heavier meat course. The other diners, who had arrived before them, were already eating their desserts and drinking coffee, so Audrey asked if she and her husband could join them when she brought their cheese plate. Of course, they agreed.

Bertrand Lefebvre looked very official in his chef hat and uniform. Jake stood to shake hands with him, and he bowed and kissed the back of Heather's hand as he came to join them. Having been married to Audrey for almost 20 years, his English was very good. The four of them sat and enjoyed cheese and fruit as they chatted.

"So, I still don't know what brought you to Calais, and to our restaurant," Audrey said, once introductions were complete.

Heather blushed and giggled, so Jake answered. "We are on our honeymoon. We had a Celtic-style wedding to celebrate out European heritage, and decided a trip to the United Kingdom would be a good honeymoon. We got as far as Dover, and decided to come across for a day and night before heading up toward Scotland. Pierre at the Port recommended we stay in the cottages of Madam Moreau, and she recommended we come here for dinner, so here we are."

Bertrand laughed and slapped his knee at what Jake had to say. "Pierre is my older brother. He and I grew up here in Calais, neighbors of the Moreau family. Colette is like a second mother to me. She sent you here in appreciation for Pierre sending you to her, I'll wager. Or she remembered that Audrey is from America. Either way, we're delighted you are here. Audrey tells me you are from Kansas. What do you do there?"

"Heather is a schoolteacher and I am a pilot," Jake answered, not able to get into the details of his current job status. "We live in a little town of less than 5,000 where I grew up. Heather grew up in the next town over. Jericho is a farm community."

"By the way, congratulations on your wedding!" Audrey broke in.

"Thank you," Heather answered, holding out her rings for the other woman to see. "They belonged to Jake's grandmother. We are very close to his grandfather."

"Oh, they are beautiful, and what a lovely story," Audrey said enthusiastically. "That's one of the things I love about Europe: So much tradition."

The men continued with one line of conversation while the women continued with another. The wait staff arrived to deliver coffee and offered desserts to both couples, who kept talking as the other customers left the restaurant and the staff cleared up the dining room. Finally the hour grew late and they began yawning. Jake looked at his watch and declared they should be heading back to their cottage. Heather had, of course, exchanged contact information with Audrey, hoping they all could meet up sometime when the Lefebvre family came to the States to visit Audrey's family in North Dakota.

Jake and Heather held hands on the short drive back.

"I'm glad we went," Heather said. "What nice people. Now I have a pen pal in France!"

Jake chuckled. "You're going to have a lot of pen pals if you keep this up," pleased that Heather was enjoying herself, and that she made friends so easily.

It was starting to rain again as they reached their cottage, so Jake parked as close to the door as he could, and they made a run for it. Heather's cheeks were bright from the exertion and the wine with dinner, damp from the rain. Jake kissed her as soon as they closed the door behind them, happy to have her to his own once again after sharing her with their new friends. The cottage windows were open, and they could hear the crash of the waves on the shore that had been so peaceful earlier in the day. They cuddled under the warm blankets and had a romantic night in their little French cottage.

Thursday morning, after a hearty country breakfast, they bid thank you and a fond good-bye to Colette Moreau. They headed down to the port and took the 9am ferry back across the English Channel toward Dover. Once they arrived, they headed east again toward the popular city of Canterbury where they got out to visit St. Augustine's Abby; the place where Christianity had been brought to England by St. Augustine around 600A.D. While in Canterbury, they decided to eat lunch. Eating breakfast at the B&B, then eating their large meal at lunch and snacking instead of dinner seemed to work well for them, other than their late French dinner.

"The Old Gate Inn in Bridge Canterbury dates back to 1728, when the Inn was built near a toll bridge. The first landlord was Richard Howard, who collected tolls and was trained as a chandler, or maker of candles. In 1781, the Old Gate Inn became a coach house where travelers could rest for the night." Heather read from her guidebook while Jake found the Inn in question.

They felt a bit underdressed for the occasion, but noted other travelers dressed in khakis and polo's once they were seated, so felt more comfortable. Jake ordered the lamb shoulder, slow-cooked in a rich jus with fennel, dauphinoise potatoes, and buttered pea and green bean medley. Heather ordered the smoked haddock risotto with baby spinach, garden peas and spring onions, and topped with a curried, crispy poached egg. Each enjoyed their meal a great deal, and took tastes of the other's choice as had become their habit. For desert, they split a piece of Kent Bramley served with a rich custard.

After they had taken a walk around Canterbury to settle their lunch, they continued their drive, passing through the market town of Faversham, which had grown up around an ancient seaport and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England. Jake wanted to stop and look at the remains of the first gunpowder plant, established in the 16th century, but they decided to keep going.

They continued north along the coastline passing through many small towns until, at last, they came to Cambridge where they were able to see the "one of the most beautiful cities of the world", and Heather was able to purchase a University of Cambridge sweatshirt

Reading from her guidebook, Heather informed Jake "Manchester's history revolves around manufacturing textiles during the Industrial Revolution. Cotton was grown further south and brought by waterway to Manchester after stopping in Lancashire or Cheshire along the way to be spun. By the turn of the 19th century, Manchester had developed a wide range of industries and became the first and greatest industrial city in the world."

"Who knew," Jake said with a smirk, amused at Heather's attempts to educate him. "Do we need to go there and buy fabric or anything?" He asked seriously.

"No," Heather responded, "I was just filling you in. We can keep going. I think Newcastle is the next major city. We should be there in about 2 hours. Perhaps we can stop there for a bite of dinner."

"Sounds good," Jake agreed. "Are we still trying to get to Edinburg tonight?"

"Yes, we have reservations at Borthwick Castle. I can't wait!" Heather said enthusiastically.

"Right, the one that is supposed to be haunted," Jake responded skeptically.

Heather rolled her eyes and went back to reading aloud. "The castle of Newcastle was built by Robert II, Duke of Normandy and son of William the Conqueror." Heather continued her travelogue. "Initially, the town was important in the wool trade, and then became a major coal mining area."

"So we don't need to take coal to Newcastle?" Jake quipped.

"No, I guess not," Heather laughed.

After a bit of research and discussion, they decided to try Indian food, specifically a restaurant called Valley Junction 397, which had won awards for being the most original Indian restaurant in the U.K. With a bit of effort, they located the restaurant and found it was housed in a vintage Great Northern Railway carriage. Heather chose Tandoori chicken while Jake chose lamb curry. They agreed: the food was outstanding and the service excellent. Soon they were on the road again, bound for Edinburg.


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own any of the Jericho characters which appeared on the CBS show, but I am collecting quite a group international of original characters . . .

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. For some reason it was a particular challenge to write.

**Chapter XXVII: A Honeymoon in the Land of Castles and Kings (Part 2)**

**June 1-15, 2003**

It was well after midnight by the time they reached Borthwick Castle in Edinburg. They had passed the border into Scotland a short time earlier, and it was long since dark as they were entering the castle and getting settled in their room by candlelight. They fell asleep almost immediately after the long day they had had.

Jake awakened sometime later, hearing the sound of something heavy being scraped across stone. He opened his eyes, but the room was dark. He instinctively reached under his pillow for his service revolver, only to remember that he had decided not to bring it with them on the trip. The minute he moved, the sound stopped. He lay still for several minutes, wishing for his Mag light or at least the pen light that had been confiscated at JFK. He finally fumbled with the things on the bedside table, finding matches and relighting the candle they had blown out earlier. Heather remained peacefully asleep. Jake took the candle and cleared the room, making sure the windows and door were locked tightly and the bathroom was empty. Not finding the source of the sound, he went back to bed and blew out the candle. It was 3am according to his watch.

Jake lay awake for what felt like quite a while as the adrenaline drained from his system. Now he began to wonder if he had dreamed the sound. Just as he was drifting off to sleep again, the sound returned. Jake lay frozen, trying to analyze what it could be and where it was coming from. He slowly reached over and patted Heather's shoulder. The sound persisted, but Heather did not awaken. He shook her shoulder gently.

"Heather!" He said, this time getting her to stir, but also silencing the sound.

"What is it," she asked, obviously disoriented.

"I keep hearing this creepy sound. I wanted you to hear it too, so I wouldn't feel quite so crazy," Jake answered.

"Um, do you hear it now?" Heather asked.

"No, it stops whenever I move," Jake answered, knowing his words probably weren't making a lot of sense.

"You let me know if you hear it again, O.K.?" Heather responded sleepily, sounding like she was talking to her students. Jake gave up and rolled over, trying to get to sleep. He finally felt himself drifting back to sleep as the sunlight started to creep around the curtains, making the room less than completely black.He finallyHHH

When morning arrived, Heather was amazed at the beauty and history in their surroundings. The castle had been built in 1430, with 14-foot walls, medieval architecture and arched windows. They were staying in the Sinclair Room, on the second floor. Jake remained fast asleep while Heather showered and got ready for the day. She wasn't entirely sure if he had awakened her in the night or not, but she tried to let him sleep as long as possible. Finally, she felt she should awaken him or they would miss breakfast in the Great Hall.

"Jake," she said, gently caressing his cheek. "Do you want to get some breakfast?"

He started to snuggle deeper under the covers, then shook his head and opened his eyes, realizing where he was. The events of the night returned to his mind and he realized he had only gotten an hour or two of sleep.

"Are you O.K.?" Heather asked, looking a little concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine," Jake answered, a bit embarrassed by his paranoia. "Do I have time for a shower?"

"Not really, I tried to let you sleep as long as I could. Yesterday was a long day and you did all of the driving. We don't need to have breakfast if you need to sleep longer."

"No, let's go," Jake responded with what he hoped sounded like a cheerful voice. "I can shower after breakfast."

They gathered themselves and made their way down the stairs. Soon they were enjoying a traditional Scottish breakfast.

"So, did you wake me up during the night?" Heather finally asked.

"Yes; I wasn't sure if you would remember," Jake answered, feeling a bit sheepish. "It seems silly in the light of day, but it was a pretty weird sound in the dark."

One of the castle staff had approached the table during their conversation, refreshing their tea.

"Was there a problem with your room, Sir ?" She asked.

"I was awakened by a strange sound twice during the night, like something heavy was being shoved across a stone floor. It sounded like it was right next to my bed, but our room is carpeted. We arrived in the middle of the night and went right to sleep, so I was unfamiliar with my surroundings. It just startled me," Jake tried to make light of it, not wanting to embarrass Heather or further embarrass himself.

"Let me check with the manager," the staff member said, turning away before Jake could stop her. She conferred with an older man and several other staff members, causing Jake to shake his head. He now wished he hadn't said anything. The whole haunted castle thing had gone way too far in his imagination already.

Soon the girl returned with the manager in tow; both had amused looks on their faces, which embarrassed Jake yet further.

"Mr. Green, I'm so sorry for your inconvenience," the manager started in a sincere tone with a thick Scottish burr, "but I think we've gotten to the bottom of the mystery. Auld Angus McGregor, our head groundskeeper, lives in the room just below yours. He has a stone floor, since he is at ground level. The girls tell me he twisted his ankle a few days ago and has been recuperating in his room. When he gets up to use the privy, he pushes his nightstand along in front of him like a walker, and it makes a loud scraping sound. There is an air vent between the rooms that would have made it seem that the sound was, indeed, coming from inside your room. I was not aware of this, or you would never have been placed in that room. Please accept my apology and plan to stay another night in an upgraded room at no additional cost to you."

By this point, both Jake and Heather could see the humor in the situation and the variety of events that had come together to create it. They were laughing along with the manager at the imagery of poor auld Angus getting up to the privy and scaring poor Jake in the night. They graciously accepted the second nights lodging and went back to enjoying their breakfast.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not totally crazy," Jake said later as they left the castle for the day after he had showered and they had gotten settled into their new room.

"I knew there had to be a logical explanation," Heather said, "I just didn't know how complicated it would be."

They spent the morning walking around Edinburg, and then drove a short way to the seaside town of Prestonpans, about 10 miles east of Edinburg. It was the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans between Roman Catholic Bonnie Prince Charlie with his followers and Protestant King George II. The battle had been discussed at length in the historic novel Heather was reading.

Prestonpans was also the home of the Reed family, the great grandparents who had sent Young Ian Reed the kilt that he had worn in their wedding. When they heard Jake and Heather were coming to Scotland, they had invited them for tea. They had moved to a small flat once their children had grown so they couldn't provide lodging. Mr. and Mrs. Reed were very friendly and made Jake and Heather feel at home. Heather showed them a few wedding pictures on her laptop, especially pictures of Ian in his kilt.

Heather had done some organizing and research with the genealogy information she had for her own family and Jake's. She knew that E.J.'s great grandmother, Hilda Gordon Mott, had been born near Edinburg in 1850 and moved to Boston with her parents when she was very young. When they were done with tea and had said their good byes to the Reeds, they went to the small town where Hilda had been born. With a few questions, they were able to locate the church where Hilda's parents had been married and Hilda had been baptized. Heather filed copies of these certificates away in her folder. By looking at census records, they were able to determine that Hilda's mother had grown up in that community (and learn the names of her parents and siblings), and that Hilda's father had grown up in the next community to the south. Heather was excited to have made it back 8 generations when she was still a novice genealogist; Jake just nodded and smiled indulgently. Soon they were driving to the next community to the south, where they found quite a bit of information on Hilda's father's family. Heather was pleased to make it back 9 generations in that line of the family and take pictures of a few family headstones in the cemetery.

By this time, Jake was bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and beginning to see things in his peripheral vision that he knew weren't there. They made their way back to the castle for a romantic evening in their new room that was, indeed, not haunted by unexplained sounds.

The following day was Saturday, June 7. Their honeymoon was half-way over. They checked out of Borthwick Castle and made their way east toward Glasgow where they would stay at a bed and breakfast on the outskirts of the city. Glasgow was another large city, not unlike London. They didn't have a particular interest in the city, but rather in two of the small towns nearby where Gail's father and the Duncan family line originated, and where Heather's maternal great grandmother and the Fraser family line originated. They explored both small towns in the rain that day with moderate results, and returned to their room early for a cozy evening in front of a cheerful fire.

Sunday dawned foggy, but not rainy. Jake and Heather enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in, and then the breakfast part of the bed-and-breakfast before checking out and driving about 40 minutes south east to the port town of Troon. Once there, they located the ferry office and purchased tickets for crossing the Irish Sea by ferry with their rental car to the Northern Irish town of Larne. The trip would take about two hours and would leave shortly.

Once they were settled on the ferry, Heather pulled out her notebook and outlined for Jake what they would be looking for in Larne. It had been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years and was one of the earliest inhabited dwellings in Ireland. More recently, many Irish had emigrated to America, leaving by way of the Port of Larne and arriving in Boston, Massachusetts.

"Boston's long standing Irish roots can be traced to Larne," Heather read from her guide book, then looked up to continue, "including the ancestors of your birth grandmother Sadie McKittrick and the first Jacob Green who left Ireland to come to the United States and fight in the American Revolution."

"So how did you figure all of this stuff out?" Jake asked.

"I got a lot of it by searching ," Heather replied. "E.J. has a family Bible that belonged to Nathaniel Green, and it connected the dots back to his great great grandfather Jacob Green who was born in 1757. He came from a wealthy Protestant family, but stowed away on a passenger ship when he was 19 and went to America to fight in the Revolution. That was a bonus; it started me out 10 generations back. I used _Ancestry_ to fill in some blanks and to find supporting documents. I hope we can find information about his parents while we are here. I haven't been able to figure them out at all.

"Once the Revolution ended, Jacob Green married and was granted land in Ohio due to his military duty. He and his sons farmed that land until his death in 1832. One of Jacob's grandsons, Kevin Jacob Green, moved to Kentucky and began a horse farm that would become very successful and lucrative, and still exists today. Kevin's grandson Nathaniel Jacob Green moved to Jericho and brought the horse farming business with him."

"Wait, the Green family is still raising horses in Kentucky?" Jake asked incredulously. "How did we not know this?"

"I don't know, I guess the families drifted apart, especially when they were separated by almost a thousand miles at a time before telephones and the internet. As new generations came along who had never even met one another, and the older generation passed away, there was no reason to stay in touch. The widespread interest in genealogy is fairly new.

"E.J. was able to find paperwork that gave the location of the horse farm near Bowling Green, Kentucky. I found them on the internet and called them. They were excited to discover Nathaniel's family was still in the horse business. You have cousins in Western Kentucky who want to meet you and discuss horse breeding exchanges. I guess I was so caught up in the wedding I forgot to tell you," Heather finished sheepishly.

"That's pretty amazing," Jake said, once again amazed at her tenacity. "I'll call them when we get back home."

"They helped me with family information as well. They seem very nice. After Nathaniel lost track of them, they started breeding thoroughbreds as well as quarter horses, and have had several do well in the Kentucky Derby. According to their website, they sell some of their horses for as much as ten thousand dollars! That's about what I make in six months of teaching!"

"Yes, horses can be an expensive proposition," Jake said with a laugh. "It's nice when you're on the selling end on things, though. That's how the early Jericho Greens made their money. So what other family members are we looking for here? Did you mention Sadie?"

"Sadie's family was a different story. Her Catholic great grandfather father, Collin McKittrick, was born in Belfast and came to America with his parents as a baby during the Irish Potato Famine. A potato blight decimated the crop which was the dietary staple for the poverty-stricken people of Ireland, causing a million people to die of starvation and related diseases, and another million to emigrate from Ireland. The population of the island dropped 20-25%. Collin's mother was 19 when she arrived in Boston, and she agreed to be an indentured servant to pay for the cost of the crossing. She worked as a cook in the home of a wealthy Boston family for the next 7 years. Fortunately, the family allowed her to keep Collin with her. Collin's father Hugh, also an indentured servant, went to work for the railroad and was never heard from again. It was rumored that he had died in an industrial accident.

"When Brigid McKittrick's indenture ended, she moved with nine-year-old Collin to a tiny room in the Irish section of town and worked as a cook in the boarding house where they lived. Collin was started in school and spent his time with other Irish children. From what I can tell, Brigid never re-married, and died from consumption (what we now call tuberculosis) at an early age. The American Dream didn't work out so well for Brigid or Hugh, but Brigid died happy knowing Collin was able to be an American. I got most of that information from the big envelope Sadie left for you. She must have written out everything she knew about her family."

"Thank you for following up on Sadie's family as well as the Green family," Jake said, squeezing Heather's hand and looking into her eyes. "How did I ever get so lucky?" Jake asked as he kissed her.

"We were just meant to be, I guess," Heather said with a smile when their kiss finally ended.

The horn on the ferry sounded then, signaling their proximity to the Port of Larne. They went below to their rental car and were prepared to exit when the guards allowed it. The customs officer asked to see their passports and they reassured him they weren't bringing alcohol to sell in Ireland. When he waved them on, Jake and Heather exchanged a grin.

"Nothing like Pierre," Jake and Heather said in unison, and then laughed.

It was growing to be lunchtime, so they found a pub in the parish of Inver, where Sadie's family had lived. Once they were settled, they ordered Irish stew with soda bread and pints of Stout to drink. The server had a delightful Irish accent, and the pub wasn't busy, so they asked her a few questions about the area. Once she determined they were looking for an ancestor, particularly one who was Catholic, she recommended they start at St. Cedma's Parish Church, the oldest church in Larne that dated back to the 12th century. Apparently it was common for Americans to come in seeking to fill out their family tree; she took their questions in stride.

When they had completed their lunch, they took the short drive to St. Cedma's. Realizing it was Sunday, they weren't sure what they would find. As it turned out, the church was having some sort of picnic, and the grounds were filled with priests and churchgoers. While they pondered whether to intrude, some children playing ball on the grass kicked the ball such that it hit their car window

. Parents came over to investigate the situation and soon had Jake and Heather convinced to join in the festivities. They asked around a bit and were directed to an older nun sitting in a lawn chair under a tree with several other sisters. Apparently she was the keeper of the parish records. Jake and Heather approached her hesitantly, not wishing to disturb her, but the lady they were with insisted upon introducing them.

"Sister Ana, here are Jake and Heather Green from America, looking for information about their family who lived here. Will you be able to help them today?"

Sister Ana broke into smiles. "Oh, yes," she said with a thick Irish accent. "I will be happy to help you," she said, standing slowly and turning to Jake and Heather. "Won't you come with me," she said, walking slowly toward the church building.

Jake thanked the parishioner who had helped them and followed after Heather, who was following Sister Ana. Once inside, Sister Ana turned and went into a small office which was lined with file cabinets. She sat behind the desk in the center of the room and motioned for Jake and Heather to take seats in the two available chairs.

"This is my idea of a good time," Sister Ana said with a twinkle in her eye. She reached into the drawer and pulled out a pad of paper. "What can you tell me?"

Heather repeated what she knew of the McKittrick family history, with the dates she knew; Sister Ana took notes. When Heather finished, Sister Ana stood and went from one file cabinet to another, a look of concentration on her face. A few moments later she returned with several files in her hands and a look of sympathy on her face.

"Hugh McKittrick was the oldest on nine children and the only one who made it to America. The rest of his family except for one brother died in the Great Famine. I have the information about his family here," she said, patting one of the folders. "Brigid Maloney was one of seven children," she continued, "her family fared a bit better. Her parents and three younger siblings emigrated to America the year after Brigid and Hugh; I wonder why they never reunited with Brigid and Collin? Her three older siblings stayed in this area and weathered the Great Famine. The reason we have so much information about these families is that we have both McKittrick and Maloney families in our parish. Descendants of Collin's brother and Brigid's older siblings. I'll just make you copies of these documents if you will write down your mailing address so I'll know where to send anything else I might find. Then we'll go locate your cousins."

Once Heather had tucked the papers securely in her bag and they were outside again, Sister Ana called to a group of small boys playing nearby. She spoke rapidly to one boy and then another in a language Heather and Jake didn't understand; probably Irish Gaelic. The boys ran off and Sister Ana proceeded back toward her seat under the tree, beckoning Jake and Heather to follow. They took seats in chairs vacated by the other sisters, and soon noticed several people approaching them.

"Aidan and Colleen Maloney meet your cousins from America, Jacob and Heather Green," Sister Ana said, beaming at the two couples, "they are the great, great, great grandchildren of your cousin Collin McKittrick who emigrated to America at the beginning of the Great Famine."

The two couples chatted happily for a few minutes, and were soon joined by a family with a newborn baby and a toddler. The family was introduced as Kathleen and Lochlan McKittrick, descendants of Hugh McKittrick, and joined into the conversation easily. Soon Heather was exchanging contact information and Jake was inviting their new friends to visit them in Kansas.

As the afternoon turned to evening, families packed up and took their tired children home. Two year old Fiona McKittrick had climbed up to her father's lap and fallen asleep, her red curls framing her face which was still damp with perspiration. Jake and Heather bid their new-found family members good bye and thanked Sister Ana again for her assistance.

They drove into Belfast in the last of the daylight. They hadn't planned to spend the whole day in Larne, but meeting Sadie's family had been a priceless opportunity. They found an inn and got settled into their room. They had eaten at the church picnic, so they weren't hungry. They decided to take the evening to spend time together: considering that it was their honeymoon, they had spent a great deal of time with other people. They snuggled in bed and discussed their day.

"How unbelievable that we got to meet Sadie's family," Jake said.

"But how are you going to explain things to your mom if they show up in Jericho?" Heather asked. "Your parents will know that the names don't match anyone in their families."

"I thought about that," Jake answered. "I guess we'll burn that bridge when we come to it. I would feel better about telling Mom about Sadie now that we're all on better terms. But right now, I'm more interested in the Mrs. Green here with me." Jake began by kissing her, and soon Irish relatives were long forgotten.

Monday morning was drizzling and cold, but it did not dampen their spirits. Having one enormous genealogical success under their belts, Jake and Heather decided to see what they could find out about the first American Jacob Green, and see what they could of Belfast in the process.

Heather had read in her guidebook that Belfast was the center of the Irish linen industry, so they started their day shopping for linen. It didn't take her long to pick out table cloth and napkin sets for Gail, April, Hope and herself. That task completed, they continued on to the community just north of Belfast, where Jacob Green's family was said to have lived. Having had such good fortune with the church the day before, they started at the Presbyterian Church that the Green family may have attended. Apparently, the area had been damaged in the firebombing of WWII, and many records were lost. The old Presbyterian Church was no longer in use, and the new one had no records of interest. Somewhat discouraged, they drove back toward Belfast and found the library. Heather considered herself fairly proficient in library searches, but came up empty with numerous searches. Finally a library employee approached them and offered to help. Heather brought him up to date on her searches.

"You say the family name is Greene?" asked Seamus, the librarian.

"Yes, I've tried both spellings, with and without the 'e' at the end. I can't locate them anywhere." Heather replied with frustration.

"Well," Seamus was quick to reply, "Greene is not 'green' in Irish. It can be Honan or Honeen, Ó hUainín or Ó hEoghanáin, depending on who you ask. It was probably changed to 'Green' when Jacob arrived in America. May I?" He asked, motioning to the computer where Heather sat.

"Certainly, thank you," Heather said as she vacated the chair and he sat down.

"County Clare is where most of your kinfolk have come from, but I seem to remember something about a hEoghanáin in this area back then. Here we are: There was a Cormac hEoghanáin who came to this area with his wife and children in 1760. He was the third son in the family; the first would have inherited the family property in Ballycotton, County Claire. The second would have joined the military, and Cormac would have had to look elsewhere if he wanted property to farm. Looks like they were a relatively wealthy family; they raised horses in Ballycotton, and sent Cormac here with several horses of his own to start a new horse farm. Cormac and his wife only had the one son live to adulthood; the Jacob to mention. The other children were girls. By the time Jacob ran away to America, the daughters were all married and settled, so they had no one to carry on their farm. They sold it about 20 years later and went to live with their eldest daughter, according to the 1880 census." Seamus pulled up another screen on the computer and kept speaking, "Cormac's older brother Dermot did well with the family horse business in Ballycotten. One of his descendants must be running it now as it is still there under the name hEoghanáin. I'll just write down the address and telly in case you are able to contact them."

"Wow, I guess horse farming really does run in the family," Jake said with a laugh and a shake of his head. "Thank you so much for the information you were able to tell us. I can't wait to tell my Grandfather when we get home. He was raised on the horse farm where we live, and that I will inherit one day since I am the oldest grandchild."

"Yes, thank you," Heather said, madly writing notes so she would remember all of the details Seamus had so graciously shared. "I never would have figured it out for myself, and it helps me with the other names I have yet to locate."

After more profuse thanks directed at Seamus the librarian, Jake and Heather adjourned to the car to decide what to do next. They had not planned to go as far east as County Clare, but decided to re-prioritize their last few days to include the side track. Soon they had purchased sandwiches and drinks for a lunch they could eat in the car and were on their way south west on the 200+ mile trip. Jake had phoned ahead and received a friendly reception, so they were anxious to arrive and meet another set of relatives.

In spite of several stops to allow sheep to cross the road and various other pastoral delays, Jake and Heather arrived at the hEoghanáin family horse farm just after 5pm. Apparently the whole family had been gathered together and a festive meal prepared despite Jake's assurance that they would find dinner and lodging in town. Heather was reminded of the McCall's hospitality and she was surprised to feel a bit homesick.

Brian hEoghanáin and his family were delightful hosts and made their American cousins feel at home. By the time they had met everyone and eaten dinner, it was growing dark. Brian insisted Jake and Heather stay at his home during their stay in Ballycotton. He was about the age of Gail and Johnston, and his children had married and gone leaving him and his wife Nora with empty rooms. At last they agreed and relaxed to enjoy the conversation and company. It was well into the morning hours by the time they finally retired to bed.

The next morning, Jake was up and out to the barns early with Brian, swapping stories and discussing horses. Heather awakened at a more reasonable hour, dressed and went down to help Nora make breakfast for their husbands and the other farm hands. Nora's open friendliness and no-nonsense approach reminded her of the McCall ladies, and again Heather felt a wave of homesickness. She was thankful to have such a wonderful home to return to.

Jake spent most of the day with Brian and the other family members who worked on the horse farm. It helped that he loved horses and had an interest in renewing the dominion of Jericho's Green Ranch Horse Farm. Brian, for his part, was fascinated with everything Jake could tell him about Jacob hEoghanáin – or Jacob Green – and his descendants; amazed that so many had followed in the horse raising business.

Heather was content to spend the day with the ladies – Nora and the wives and daughters who were available to stop by and visit. Many pictures were taken, contact information exchanged, and invitations extended for future visits. The day passed quickly, and soon she and the ladies were preparing another meal for the extended family.

"We look for any reason to celebrate," one of the wives said cheerfully as she kneaded bread for dinner. "We're just glad you were able to make the trip."

Dinner began a bit earlier the second night, followed by several family members producing musical instruments and the younger members of the group demonstrating their Irish dancing skills.

"Feels just about like home," Jake said to Heather. "Who know?" Heather nodded in agreement.

Although they had had a lovely visit in Ballycotton, Jake and Heather needed to leave on the third day, Wednesday June 11, and head toward Dublin. They bid a fond farewell to their newfound family members with promises to keep in touch and visit again soon.

The trip to Dublin would take about 3 hours. Heather had wanted to do research on the family of Jake's grandmother Catherine Kelly Green, Gail's mother Colleen O'Reilly, and her own grandfather Patrick Campbell while they were in Ireland, but visiting the horse farm had been more important. She could continue her research from home, or perhaps on another trip. She did hope to spend a few hours in Wales looking for the family of her great grandfather David Evans.

Jake was talkative on the trip to Dublin, excited about the people they had met and the things he had learned. Brian had been able to fill in a few more generations of the hEoghanáin/Green family, which pleased Heather.

They arrived in Dublin around noon and had lunch, then found a place to stay the night. Once they were checked in, Jake announced his plans for a nap, hoping to catch up on some of the sleep he had lost in Ballycotton. Heather agreed that he should nap, saying that she would prefer to go out for a walk.

When Jake awakened two hours later, Heather was just coming through the door of their room. She had located a library and done some research on the three remaining Irish family members on her list. She was pleased with the results and Jake was a bit more rested. They decided to spend their last afternoon in Ireland wandering through the historic market district, purchasing a few last gifts and souvenirs, taking pictures of the colorful displays, and snacking on the vast array of edible treats. They returned to their room before it became too late and enjoyed an evening of admiring their shopping finds and cuddling in their cozy room as the rain began to fall.

When they awakened Thursday morning, the rain continued to fall. Fitting for Ireland, they decided, thankful they had had so many clear days during their stay. They packed their growing collection of things into their small rental car and proceeded to the port where they purchased tickets for the ferry which would take them back across the Irish Sea to Holyhead, Wales. Again, the trip would take about two hours. They didn't have long to wait in their car before they were being motioned to drive onto the ferry.

During the crossing, Heather again brought out her notebook of genealogical material and outlined her hopes of stopping in the ancestral home of her great grandfather David Evans. The town of Betws-y-Coed, located in the Gwydir Forest, had a population of only 534. She knew none of them were related to him due to prior correspondence, but hoped to take a picture of the gravestones of his parents, which she was told could be found in the cemetery of St. Mary's Church, an Anglican/Church of Wales denomination built in the 1870s.

"It's right along our driving route back to London," Heather said cheerfully as she explained her plans to Jake.

"So what is with these Welsh words and names," Jake asked, "it looks like someone took out all of the vowels."

"Well, yes," Heather responded with a giggle. "I wouldn't even begin to pronounce most of the Welsh words. Mostly I think I'll just point to the map. Everyone has been so friendly on our trip; I imagine they will be helpful here as well."

They spent the remainder of the crossing playing gin rummy. They had been keeping a running score during their trip and remained neck-in-neck. The ferry signaled its approach to Holyhead and they returned to their rental car.

Once they had passed through customs once again, they drove for about an hour before arriving in the ancestral home of Heather's great grandfather. It was a small town, so locating the church wasn't difficult. Heather and Jake checked in with the staff of the church and were shown to the cemetery by the vicar, who pointed them in the general direction of the graves which had been established in the early 1900's. It didn't take them long to locate the grave sites of Bethan and Colwyn Evans. Heather took the requisite pictures and they headed back toward the car, thanking the vicar on the way out. He asked if they had eaten lunch and recommended the Ty Gwyn Pub in town.

They found the pub to be warm and welcoming, with delicious local cuisine. They had a three-course lunch and were soon on their way again. They decided to continue driving toward London and stay in Birmingham, since it was about the half-way point and they had already spent too many days with too much driving packed into them.

They reached Birmingham by 3pm and located an inn on the outskirts of town for the night. They found a post office and obtained a box and packing materials to send home their purchases when they determined the plunder wouldn't all fit into their luggage allotment. Once they had packed the box and returned it to the post office, they spent the remaining hour or so of daylight strolling through the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. By the time they returned to their room, they were tired and ready to enjoy one last quiet evening in before the bustle of retuning to London and the States began the following day.

"It has, indeed, been a fairytale trip," Heather said dreamily as they cuddled in bed that evening. "I can't believe how many friends we have made and how much we have seen. On the other hand, I find myself homesick for Jericho and all of our friends and family there. What about you?"

"It's all a bit surreal," Jake answered. "So far, we've spent our entire married life on a different continent. Part of me is anxious to get home and have it all feel real. It has been a wonderful trip, though. How are you doing with your travel journal, Mrs. Green?"

"I've been making daily notes," Heather began, "all strictly G-rated for the benefit of our future grandchildren and their delicate sensibilities." Heather was flushed and giggling now.

"Probably a good thing," Jake said, laughing as well. "I'm sure their parents wouldn't appreciate us corrupting them." He paused. "Boy, it feels weird speaking of generations of people who haven't even been born. Our kids will grow up with Eric and April's kids, and further generations of McCalls and Montgomerys and hopefully, one day, Richmonds. Stanley really needs to find a nice girl to settle down with."

"And here you are, the inveterate married man of 12 days already trying to get his best friend fixed up. I guess what they said is true: Happily married people want to see their friends happily married. I'll see if I can think of single friends." Heather concluded with a laugh before Jake kissed her and put a stop to the conversation part of the evening.

Friday morning found them checking out of their room in Birmingham and taking the two hour drive toward London. They decided to return to the Palmers Lodge and Hostel, since they were familiar with the area. Once they checked in, Jake returned the rental car and they went out for lunch and to walk around one last time. They returned early and got things in order for their flight back to the States the following morning.

Saturday was a blur of waking up ridiculously early, taking a taxi to the airport and embarking on the long flight back to Jericho. Fortunately they would gain time flying this direction. Their flight out of London was uneventful and arrived a bit early, so they were able to take an earlier flight to Kansas City. Jake phoned ahead to alert the charter service and Johnston. As it was, they arrived in Jericho about 5pm and were happy to be taken home to the ranch to unpack and regroup yet again so Jake could fly back to California the following morning. Indeed, their honeymoon had been a delightful dream, but they were both happy to be returning home and starting their married life together.

_**Author's Note:**__ And that, Dear Readers, is the end of this part of the story. I thank you for coming along with me on the adventure and hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. The next installment of the story will pick up a bit closer to the bombs and will be posted as it is completed. As always, reviews are most welcome! Questions, comments and suggestions will also be entertained._


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